Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand wrapped up a three-day trip to Greenland and Denmark on Saturday, promoting deepening economic and security ties between the three countries.
Canada will continue "to focus on the economic ties between our countries as well as Arctic security and defense," Anand said alongside Greenland Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen at a joint news conference.
"We will always choose collaboration and cooperation in doing so," Anand said.
It took place at the Port of Nuuk with an anchored Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker, the CCGS Jean Goodwill, serving as the backdrop, a signal of Ottawa's support for Greenland's territorial integrity.
U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his threats to annex the Danish territory before stepping back from threats to use force to acquire the territory — after Danish leaders said the NATO military alliance would fall apart if the U.S. tried taking allied territory by force.
On Friday, Canada officially opened a new consulate in Nuuk, Greenland. Greenland intends to do the same in Canada by 2028.
"We look forward to people-to-people ties, especially amongst northerners and Inuit," Anand said.
Motzfeldt described the opening as having "a piece of Canada" here and a feeling that Greenland is not alone at a time of geopolitical tension.
"It is for us to have this feeling that you're not alone, you are standing here with your friends and opening the Canadian consulate yesterday shows our ties even get more tight," Motzfeldt said.
"We can make our wish to strengthen our cooperation even easier ... because we have a piece of Canada here."
Canada announced plans in December 2024 for the new diplomatic mission, well before Trump's demands for U.S. control over Greenland.
The consulate took on new significance in recent weeks as NATO allies moved to back the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Rasmussen called the opening of the consulate "a new beginning."
"We look eye-to-eye on so many issues, not only about the Greenlandic people's right to self-determination, but also broadly when we work together in the UN and NATO and other settings where we need to stand up for a world order where 'might isn't right'," Rasmussen said.
Asked about the situation with the U.S., Motzfeldt said it's better than it was a month ago, with a diplomatic track and a direct dialogue with the U.S., but "we are not there where we want to be yet."
Rasmussen said it's a matter of accommodating reasonable U.S. concerns about security in the Arctic — which is a concern for all of NATO -- while respecting Danish and Greenlandic "red lines": sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the Greenlandic people's right to self-determination.
"We serve our best interest if we leave that discussion with the people dedicated to solving the problem in the diplomatic track," Rasmussen said.
Picture Courtesy: Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix via AP
