In a surprising development, European troops have touched down in Greenland, yet the White House insists this won’t derail Donald Trump’s ambitions in the Arctic.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday that the presence of European forces in Greenland “does not impact the president’s decision-making process or his goal of acquiring Greenland.”
Several European nations including France, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and the Netherlands have confirmed they are sending troops to participate in a Danish-led military exercise, with some already on the ground. Estonia is also part of the planning and is prepared to deploy troops if requested. Notably, NATO is not involved in the drill, which is being described as an intergovernmental exercise.
Trump has repeatedly suggested that military action could be used to secure Greenland, warning that the territory risks falling under Russian or Chinese influence.
Denmark’s foreign minister, after meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stated that the U.S. and Greenland “still have a fundamental disagreement” on the matter. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that France will deploy land, air, and naval forces to Greenland in the coming days. He emphasized that Europe must “remain present without escalation, but uncompromising on respect for territorial sovereignty.”
Additionally, the U.K. and Norway have expressed support for a proposed NATO initiative called Arctic Sentry, which would expand alliance presence in the region and reinforce Europe’s commitment to Arctic security an indirect counter to Trump’s ongoing ambitions.
Comments
Post a Comment