French and Canadian consulates general were inaugurated on Friday in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. France and Canada thus affirm their support for the autonomy of the territory in the face of American desires. A diplomatic recognition welcomed by the Greenlandic authorities.

Published on: 06/02/2026 - 04:41 Modified on: 06/02/2026 - 21:19

France and Canada, which oppose the Trump administration's plan to take control of Greenland, each inaugurated, on Friday February 6, a consulate general in Nuuk, the capital of this autonomous Danish territory, recognition for the local government.

“This is a very important day for us as a country because today we are going to have the opening of the consulate here, in Nuuk, Greenland,” declared Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand, before hoisting her country's flag in front of the mission building, to the applause of an Inuit delegation from the Inuit Nunangat region who had come for the occasion.

Arriving in Nuuk on Friday, the consul general of France, Jean-Noël Poirier, took office the same day. He met the Prime Minister of Greenland, Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

“The political dimension of the opening of this position is real. It is even quite obvious, given the news of recent months, of this last year,” underlined Jean-Noël Poirier during a press briefing.

Read alsoGreenland says it expects “concrete results” from dialogue with the United States

“It is a victory for the Greenlanders to see two allied countries opening diplomatic representations in Nuuk,” according to Jeppe Strandsbjerg, political scientist at the University of Greenland. "Greenlanders greatly appreciate support over Trump's remarks."

The recent crisis resulted in the determination between the American president and the NATO secretary general of a "framework" with a view to an agreement on the future of the Arctic island, the contours of which are still unclear while the Americans, Greenlanders and Danes meet within a working group.

“Listen to the Greenlanders”

The content of the discussions is not known but Denmark and Greenland refuse any transfer of sovereignty.

They received support from Europeans, and in particular from France, which is pleased to be the first EU country to open a consulate in Greenland.

"The first thing is to first listen to the Greenlanders, to hear them, to let them explain their position to us in depth", and to confirm France's support to them, Jean-Noël Poirier, former French ambassador to Vietnam, explained to AFP when he left for Nuuk.

The consul does not currently have an office to set up in this city which has only 9 French people registered in the register of French people abroad.

See also Donald Trump troublemaker in Greenland: towards strategic autonomy for the EU?

The French decision to open a consulate was announced on June 15 during a visit by President Emmanuel Macron to the Greenlandic capital, where he came to express "European solidarity" for the island, already criticizing Donald Trump's desire to annex it.

Canada told him at the end of 2024 that it was going to open a consulate general in the immense Arctic territory.

The opening of these diplomatic representations makes it possible to say "to Donald Trump that his aggressiveness towards Greenland and Denmark is not only a question for Greenland and Denmark, it is also a matter for the European allies, and also for Canada", underlines Ulrik Pram Gad, Arctic specialist at the Danish Institute of International Studies.

Recognized autonomy

For Greenlandic diplomacy, the opening of consulates - which formally depend on the French and Canadian embassies in Copenhagen - is also "an opportunity to train for independence by having direct relations", notes Jeppe Strandsbjerg.

It is a form of recognition for their growing autonomy, defined in the 2009 framework law.

“The Greenlanders will think, as part of their own quest for sovereignty, to have more direct contacts with other European countries,” analyzes Christine Nissen, analyst at the Europa think-tank, expert in security and defense issues.

This makes it possible to "reduce the importance of Denmark's role by diversifying Greenland's dependence on the outside world, so that everything no longer comes only from Denmark, but that there are more relations on the economic, commercial, investment, political levels, etc....", adds Ulrik Pram Gad.

Read alsoThe EU facing Trump: a rout announced by the Kremlin

Greenland has had diplomatic representations to the European Union since 1992, in Washington since 2014 and in Reykjavik since 2017.

In Nuuk, Iceland opened its consulate general in 2013 and the United States in 2020. Between 1940 and 1953, the Americans had a first consulate in the peaceful Greenlandic capital.

The European Commission opened an office in 2024.

With AFP

Keywords associated with the article

The content you are trying to access does not exist or is no longer available.