Greenland says it has started direct diplomatic discussions with the United States, describing progress in talks that officials say have been a goal for months. The announcement came at a joint press conference involving Greenland, Canada, and Denmark, where the three sides discussed Arctic security, defence, and ties with the U.S. and NATO.
Greenland’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vivi-Anne Motzfeldt said the diplomatic track has moved forward compared with the previous month, but cautioned that major questions remain unresolved. She said a high-level working group meeting has already begun, while also stressing that it is too early to predict where the negotiations will end.
Greenland says talks are underway, but outcomes unclear
Motzfeldt said Greenland has entered direct dialogue with Washington after pursuing that objective for several months. She described the current moment as an improvement from the prior month and framed the process as respectful discussions that have not yet reached Greenland’s preferred result.
Motzfeldt also signaled that expectations should remain measured, saying the path ahead will be long and that it is premature to forecast the final destination. Her comments were delivered alongside Denmark’s and Canada’s foreign ministers during a press briefing in Nuuk, according to the report.
Canada opens Nuuk consulate as Denmark urges united “middle powers”
Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen described the opening of Canada’s consulate in Nuuk as a “new beginning,” and said it creates an opportunity to strengthen partnerships. Rasmussen said the sides align on issues including sovereignty and Greenland’s right to self-determination, and he also pointed to broader cooperation through the UN, NATO, and other organizations.
He argued that international cooperation should uphold a world order that does not allow force, and referenced a message attributed to the Canadian prime minister in Davos that “middle powers must unite and collaborate.” The comments tied diplomatic coordination in the Arctic to wider debates about security and rules-based cooperation among allies.
Anand highlights infrastructure, economic links, and people-to-people ties
Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand said Greenland-focused diplomacy would matter to many Canadians and to people with Greenlandic and Danish heritage. She also voiced optimism about building personal connections, including between “the inhabitants of the North and the Inuit.”
Anand said she and others had recently met with business representatives to discuss roles in port and airport infrastructure and in air transport, describing these as part of an effort to deepen ties among Canada, Greenland, and Denmark. She said Canada would keep emphasizing economic connections alongside Arctic security and defence, while prioritizing collaboration and engagement.
Trump comments keep Greenland in the spotlight
The report notes that Donald Trump said in late 2024 that U.S. control over Greenland is an “absolute necessity” for national security. Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte Egede responded that the island is “not for sale,” according to the same account.
It also describes Trump as having raised the possibility of using military or economic pressure related to Greenland, and says he later said his interest was mainly defence-related. The report adds that Danish Minister Met Frederik criticized the rhetoric toward an ally as unacceptable and called for an end to annexation threats, saying an invasion of Greenland would mean the end of NATO.
Security steps and wider NATO-related activity
The report says several countries—France, the United Kingdom, Poland, Italy, Spain, and Denmark—emphasized that security in the region should be ensured together within NATO. It also says that on January 14, 2026, Rasmussen announced Denmark had set aside extra funding for military resources to protect Greenland if needed.
On that same day, the report says a small unit was set up on the island in coordination with various NATO allies. It adds that troops from Sweden, Norway, and Germany arrived in Greenland to prepare for multinational exercises led by Denmark.
The report further says Trump stated at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 21 that the United States would not use force to gain control of the island. It also says the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland started discussions on a new cooperation framework for the Arctic territory, as reported by Bloomberg.
Greenland is described as the world’s largest island and an autonomous territory of Denmark, with mineral and oil reserves and strategic facilities including American installations. Against that backdrop, the new diplomatic push and the parallel focus on Arctic security show how Greenland’s leaders and partners are positioning the territory as both a strategic and political priority.
