Greenland’s premier to skip opening of new US consulate in Nuuk amid tensions with Washington

Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen announced on Thursday that he will not attend the opening of the new US consulate in the country’s capital of Nuuk amid strained relations with Washington.

Speaking to Greenlandic newspaper Sermitsiaq, Nielsen said he has decided not to attend Thursday’s inauguration ceremony for the consulate’s new premises in central Nuuk.

“We haven’t made a decision in principle, but I won’t participate,” he said, adding that he could not confirm whether other members of the Greenlandic government would attend.

The US consulate has invited officials and guests to a reception marking the opening, but according to Sermitsiaq, many invitees have declined due to the current political climate.

Tensions between Greenland and Washington have remained high following repeated remarks by US President Donald Trump expressing interest in gaining ownership or control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory rich in natural resources and strategically located in the Arctic.

On Monday, Greenlandic lawmaker Naaja H. Nathanielsen also announced that she would decline invitations from the American consulate to upcoming events.

“I have explained it by saying that the situation between our countries is difficult right now,” Nathanielsen wrote on the US social media platform Facebook.