Troops from Denmark and several European countries arrived in Greenland on Thursday as a show of support as tensions ramp up between Copenhagen and Washington over the future of the Arctic island.
Denmark said it was necessary to increase its military presence in Greenland for security purposes following President Trump’s repeated threats for the US to take control of the sovereign nation.
Germany sent troops to Greenland after continued US talks with Denmark over Greenland. APAlong with Denmark, France, Germany, the U.K., Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands began sending over troops — or vowed to do so in the coming days.
“The first French military elements are already en route” and “others will follow,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement.
Germany added that it would also deploy a reconnaissance team of 13 personnel to Greenland on Thursday.
A soldier walks toward the Joint Arctic Command in Faroe Islands is pictured in Nuuk, Greenland. AFP via Getty Images
The deployment comes after Denmark and Greenland said they found themselves at a “fundamental disagreement” with the US on Wednesday following a meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told local outlets that the intention of the European deployment this week was “to establish a more permanent military presence with a larger Danish contribution.”
Trump has insisted the US needs Greenland. REUTERS“This means that from today and in the coming time there will be an increased military presence in and around Greenland of aircraft, ships and soldiers, including from other NATO allies,” Poulsen said.
While Trump has claimed that the US needs to take over Greenland to stop Russia or China from conquering the country, Europe contends that a united NATO is the key to safeguarding the Arctic region.
The conflict has been met with ridicule from Moscow, with the Russian embassy in Brussels mocking the current situation as a NATO response to “phantom threats that they generate themselves.”
A Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules. AFP via Getty ImagesDenmark and Greenland’s foreign ministers are set to meet with White House representatives in Washington to continue discussing the countries’ future.
While Greenland has made it clear that it does not want to be part of the US, Trump has remained confident that he can work out a deal to annex the nation.
With Post wires
