January 6, 2026 l Dalena Reporters
PARIS — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has issued a firm affirmation that Greenland’s security is integral to NATO and that the island’s future must be determined exclusively by the people of Greenland and Denmark, amid renewed U.S. presidential rhetoric suggesting Greenland should join the United States. Carney’s comments, delivered at a press conference on January 6, 2026, reflect mounting diplomatic friction over Arctic sovereignty and alliance cohesion against the backdrop of escalating geopolitical tensions.
Speaking at the Canadian Embassy in Paris, where he was attending meetings with European allies ahead of broader discussions on Ukraine’s security guarantees, Carney underscored Canada’s commitment to upholding principles of self-determination, sovereignty and territorial integrity. “The future of Greenland will be decided solely by the people of Denmark and Greenland,” said Carney, responding directly to public comments by U.S. President Donald Trump and senior aides expressing interest in acquiring the Arctic territory.
Carney stressed that NATO — including member states like Canada, Denmark and others provides the collective defence framework that secures Greenland and that allies must collectively respond to evolving global threats, including increased strategic activity by China and Russia in the Arctic region. He noted that Canada and other NATO partners are working to enhance Arctic security and reinforce the alliance’s capabilities as part of a long-term response to shifting geopolitical dynamics.
Carney’s remarks came after weeks of heightened international debate triggered by Trump’s renewed public assertions that the United States has a strategic interest in Greenland, suggesting that U.S. control of the territory would benefit national security rhetoric that has drawn sharp rebukes from Danish and Greenlandic officials. Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen have both rejected proposals to cede control to the United States and warned that pursuing such ambitions could undermine NATO itself.
Alongside Carney’s statements, a joint declaration by European leaders including those of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom reaffirmed the principle that Greenland “belongs to its people” and stressed that decisions about its future must respect the will of the residents and the sovereignty of Denmark.
Carney also highlighted Canada’s expanding Arctic engagement, including plans to open a Canadian consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, and increased military investments in northern defence capabilities measures intended both to deepen bilateral relations and to demonstrate solidarity with NATO allies in the region.
The remarks come as international scrutiny intensifies around U.S. foreign policy under Trump, whose controversial military action in Venezuela and subsequent pronouncements regarding Greenland have stirred global debate about sovereignty, alliance commitments and the evolving role of Arctic geopolitics on the world stage.
Carney’s stance underscores Ottawa’s attempt to balance assertive defence diplomacy and alliance solidarity while maintaining respect for international law and national self-determination, even as pressures mounted by powerful partners challenge long-established norms governing territorial integrity and multilateral cooperation.