• Mary Simon and Anita Anand scheduled for February trip to Nuuk to open Canadian consulate
• Seven European leaders issue joint statement: Greenland belongs to its people, not subject to annexation
• Denmark warns US military action against NATO ally would destroy alliance and 80 years of security

TORONTO, CANADA (TDR) — Canada will send its Indigenous governor general and foreign minister to Greenland in early February as world leaders grow increasingly alarmed over President Donald Trump‘s repeated threats to annex the strategic Arctic territory, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Tuesday.

Indigenous Solidarity Mission

Governor General Mary Simon, Canada’s first Indigenous governor general who is of Inuk descent, and Foreign Minister Anita Anand are expected to open a consulate in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, marking what officials described as “a concrete step in strengthening our engagement in support of Denmark’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Simon became Canada’s first Indigenous governor general in 2021 and previously served as Canada’s ambassador to Denmark. The governor general is the representative of Britain’s King Charles as head of state in Canada, a Commonwealth member.

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“The future of Greenland and Denmark are decided solely by the people of Denmark,” Carney said while meeting with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at Canada’s embassy in Paris, where both leaders are attending coalition talks on Ukraine.

The island of Greenland, 80% of which lies above the Arctic Circle, is home to about 56,000 mostly Inuit people.

Trump Renews Annexation Demands

Trump renewed his call Sunday for the US to take control of the mineral-rich Arctic territory, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that “we need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it.”

The president mocked Denmark’s security efforts, claiming the country added “one more dog sled” to Greenland’s defense. Trump also claimed “Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place,” though experts dispute this characterization.

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In an interview with The Atlantic published Sunday, Trump said: “We do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defense.”

The president has not ruled out using military or economic force to take control of Greenland and last month named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as special envoy to the territory. Landry has publicly endorsed Trump’s annexation push.

Katie Miller Post Sparks Outrage

Tensions escalated Saturday when Katie Miller, wife of Trump’s deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, posted an image on social media showing Greenland in the colors of the American flag with the caption “SOON.”

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen called the post “disrespectful,” stating: “We are open to conversations. But it has to be through the right channels and with respect to international law. And the right channels are not random and disrespectful posts on social media.”

Nielsen issued a stronger statement Monday declaring “enough is enough” and warning that Greenland “is not an object of superpower rhetoric.”

“We are a people. A land. And democracy. This has to be respected. Especially by close and loyal friends,” Nielsen wrote. “Threats, pressure and talk of annexation do not belong anywhere between friends.”

Denmark Warns Of NATO Collapse

Frederiksen delivered her starkest warning yet Monday, telling Danish broadcaster TV2 that a US military attack on Greenland would destroy the NATO alliance.

“If the United States chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops,” Frederiksen said. “That is, including our NATO and thus the security that has been provided since the end of the Second World War.”

The Danish prime minister noted Trump “should be taken seriously” when he says he wants Greenland, acknowledging the rhetoric has escalated to the point where she must consider the possibility of American military action.

Frederiksen emphasized Greenland is already covered by NATO’s security guarantee and the US military has extensive access through the Pituffik Space Base, built under a 1951 defense agreement.

Seven European Leaders Unite

The leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom joined Frederiksen Tuesday in defending Greenland’s sovereignty, issuing a joint statement declaring the territory “belongs to its people.”

“It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland,” the statement read.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Denmark can count on the solidarity of all of Europe, warning that NATO “would lose its meaning if conflict or mutual conflicts occurred within the alliance.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said “only Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark” could decide the territory’s future. France’s foreign ministry stated “borders cannot be changed by force.”

The European Union foreign policy spokesperson said the bloc was committed to defending the territorial integrity of its members.

Venezuela Operation Heightens Fears

The controversy intensified following Saturday’s US military operation in Venezuela that captured President Nicolás Maduro. The dead-of-night raid stunned the world and heightened concerns in Denmark and Greenland about Trump’s willingness to use military force against sovereign nations.

Political risk analyst Mujtaba Rahman of the Eurasia Group called possible American intervention in Greenland “the biggest source of risk to the transatlantic alliance and intra-NATO and intra-EU cohesion, arguably far greater than those presented by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

Denmark is now in “full crisis mode” over the issue, according to analysts.

Canada’s Balancing Act

Political scientist Daniel Béland noted Carney faces a “tough balancing act” as Canada prepares to renegotiate its free trade agreement with the United States this year.

“It is vital for Canada partly because we are a major Arctic country and that Greenland is our neighbor, and partly because we have a strong incentive to stand for international law and against Trump-style bullying and aggression,” Béland said. “But Carney wants to avoid upsetting Trump.”

Trump has also previously talked about making Canada the 51st state, adding another layer of complexity to the diplomatic situation.

Will Canada’s Indigenous-led diplomatic mission to Greenland help defuse tensions, or will Trump’s territorial ambitions continue escalating toward a NATO crisis?

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