European countries sent small numbers of military personnel to Greenland on Thursday as Denmark said it was moving ahead with plans for a “larger and more permanent” NATO presence to secure the island coveted by US President Donald Trump.
Reuters reported that the limited European deployments, intended to help Denmark prepare for military exercises, sent a strong message of support one day after a meeting between officials from the United States, Denmark, and Greenland ended without any breakthrough in resolving the impasse.
Following that meeting, Trump repeated his claim that Denmark could not be relied upon to protect its autonomous territory, Greenland, if Russia or China were ever to seek to occupy it.
Trump has said the strategically located and mineral-rich island is vital to US security and has not ruled out the use of force to take it.
Greenland and Denmark have stated that the island is not for sale and that threats of using force are reckless.
Denmark’s Defence Minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, told journalists in Copenhagen on Thursday that he did not yet have a final figure for the planned expansion of NATO’s presence in Greenland.
“But it is clear that we will now be able to plan for a larger and more permanent presence throughout 2026, and this is crucial to show that security in the Arctic is not only a matter for the Kingdom of Denmark, but for all of NATO,” he said.
sa
Views: 1
