Canadian officials are preparing a high-profile diplomatic visit to Greenland, underscoring Ottawa’s support for Danish sovereignty as President Donald Trump reiterates U.S. interest in purchasing the strategic Arctic island.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand and Governor General Mary Simon are planning a visit to Greenland early next month, where they are expected to formally open a new Canadian consulate in Nuuk, according to officials familiar with the plans. The move is widely seen as a signal of Canada’s opposition to President Donald Trump’s renewed push for the United States to acquire Greenland.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney reinforced that position this week when he met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at Canada’s embassy in Paris during an international meeting on Ukraine. Following the meeting, Carney publicly affirmed Canada’s backing of Denmark’s authority to determine Greenland’s future.
Anand later shared footage of the Carney–Frederiksen meeting and said she would travel to Nuuk next month to open the consulate, describing the step as a tangible demonstration of Canada’s support for Denmark’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, including Greenland. She outlined the plan in a social media post.
Canadian officials are also emphasizing the role of Governor General Mary Simon in the visit. Simon is Canada’s first governor general of Indigenous descent and previously served as Canada’s ambassador to Denmark before her appointment in 2021. Greenland’s population is predominantly Indigenous Inuit, and Simon’s background—her mother was Inuk—along with her diplomatic experience, is viewed as lending additional credibility to the mission. As the representative of King Charles III, Canada’s head of state, Simon also brings added symbolic weight to the trip. Simon said Prime Minister Carney personally asked her to participate.
The diplomatic outreach comes amid broader European coordination. On Tuesday, Carney signed a joint declaration with Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, and the United Kingdom affirming that decisions regarding Greenland rest solely with Denmark and the people of the island.
The joint statement urged NATO allies to cooperate on Arctic security, emphasizing collaboration among the United States, Denmark, and Greenland. It also described the United States as an “essential partner,” citing NATO ties and the 1951 defense agreement between Washington and Copenhagen.
European and Canadian leaders issued the declaration after President Trump reiterated that he was “very serious” about acquiring Greenland, though he said there was no fixed timeline. The comments prompted warnings from Frederiksen that the use of force to seize the territory would effectively end NATO.
In recent days, rhetoric on both sides has softened. The White House has said there are no current plans to use military force, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump’s goal is to purchase Greenland from Denmark—an outcome that would align with the European-Canadian declaration if approved by Copenhagen and Greenland’s residents.
Still, concerns persist due to Trump’s previous refusal to rule out military options, framing control of Greenland as a critical U.S. national security interest. Even the White House’s most recent statement acknowledged that the use of U.S. military power remains an option available to the commander in chief.
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