PARIS — Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday reaffirmed Canada’s support for Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland, saying the future of the autonomous Arctic territory must be decided “solely by the people” of Denmark and Greenland.
Standing alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at the Canadian Embassy in Paris, Carney responded to renewed comments by U.S. President Donald Trump expressing interest in annexing Greenland.
“There are basic principles here — self-determination of nations, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Carney said at a joint press conference. “As NATO, we can provide security for all of NATO, Greenland included.”
Carney said Canada and its allies are working to strengthen Arctic security as global threats evolve and as Russia and China increase their activity in polar regions. He also announced that Canada plans to open a consulate in Nuuk in early February.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said she will attend the consulate’s opening, calling it “a concrete step in strengthening our engagement” with Greenland and Denmark. Governor General Mary Simon, who is Inuk and previously served as Canada’s ambassador to Denmark and for Circumpolar Affairs, is also expected to travel to Greenland for the event.
Carney met privately with Frederiksen ahead of a separate summit in Paris with Ukraine’s allies, where leaders are working to finalize a security guarantee framework in the event of a peace deal with Russia. Frederiksen thanked Carney for Canada’s support and emphasized the importance of collective action among NATO members to secure the Arctic.
“I think we are both very committed to securing the Arctic region,” Frederiksen said. “Together with other NATO allies, we can secure the region.”
Trump renewed his comments about annexing Greenland over the weekend, following a U.S. military operation in Venezuela. His administration has since escalated its rhetoric, with White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller saying Greenland should be part of the United States.
In late December, Trump appointed a special envoy to Greenland — Jeff Landry — who has publicly said his mission is “to make Greenland a part of the U.S.” Denmark responded by saying it would summon the U.S. ambassador to formally register its objections.
Frederiksen has warned that a U.S. takeover of Greenland would effectively end NATO, underscoring the seriousness with which Denmark views the comments.
Trump has floated the idea of annexing Greenland since beginning his second term last year, framing it as a U.S. national security imperative. Greenland is strategically important and rich in critical minerals that are increasingly vital to global supply chains.
European leaders also weighed in Tuesday. The leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom issued a joint letter affirming their support for Greenland, noting that while the United States remains “an essential partner” in NATO’s Arctic security efforts, those efforts must respect international law.
“Greenland belongs to its people,” the leaders wrote. “It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland,” citing the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity enshrined in the UN Charter and a long-standing 1951 defence agreement between the U.S. and Denmark.