On Sunday in Nuuk, the French foreign minister stood before Greenlandic officials and Inuit leaders and framed Paris’s visit as an offer of “solidarity” in the face of rapid environmental change and rising geopolitical attention to the Arctic. “France stands with Greenland — in science, in respect for your rights, and in common concern over a changing ocean,” the minister said, invoking climate, economic, and security dimensions that have transformed the island from a remote territory into a strategic crossroads.

The minister’s remarks, delivered after meetings with the Greenlandic government and representatives of Kalaallit Nunaat’s indigenous communities, stressed scientific cooperation, humanitarian assistance, and support for sustainable development. Officials accompanying the delegation included representatives from France’s polar institute, Institut polaire français Paul-Émile Victor, who outlined plans for expanded joint research on glacial melt, fisheries and coastal resilience. Paris also offered to fund new coastal monitoring equipment and to send specialists in climate adaptation.

Greenlandic participants welcomed the emphasis on research but underscored long-standing demands for consultation and control over resource decisions. “We will welcome partners who respect Greenlandic self-determination and our right to decide how resources are developed,” a Greenlandic minister said at the press session. The island’s governance rests within the Kingdom of Denmark, but Greenland exercises extensive autonomy under the Self-Government Act of 2009, a legal framework Ottawa and European partners increasingly cite when discussing Arctic engagement.

The French visit comes as competition for Arctic influence intensifies. Melting ice has opened new shipping routes and renewed interest in mineral and fisheries resources, drawing attention from NATO members, China and Russia. Paris has framed its outreach as non-confrontational yet aimed at ensuring a rules-based Arctic. During the trip the French foreign minister referenced international law, saying Paris supports “cooperation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the centrality of dialogue among Arctic stakeholders.”

Denmark, which retains responsibility for Greenland’s foreign and defense policy, has been closely monitoring bilateral contacts between Greenland and third countries. Copenhagen has publicly welcomed constructive partnerships that bolster Greenlandic capacity, but Danish officials have reiterated that defense and security arrangements remain a matter for the Kingdom. The French delegation signaled awareness of that balance, frequently noting meetings with both Nuuk and Copenhagen officials in the days surrounding the trip.

Strategically, the visit is part of a broader French effort to maintain visibility in high-latitude diplomacy. Paris has overseas territories and scientific interests in polar regions and is seeking to translate academic ties into longer-term partnerships. Analysts say that for France the Arctic increasingly represents a test of how middle powers can engage without escalating great-power competition: provide scientific assistance, respect indigenous agency, and promote legal frameworks for transparent development.

As the delegation departed, Greenlandic and French officials agreed to set up working groups to define concrete projects and consultation mechanisms. For Greenland, that promises new resources and expertise; for France, it is a bid to weave itself into Arctic policymaking while navigating the complicated web of local rights, Danish sovereignty and global strategic rivalries.