European troops are now arriving in Greenland as tensions mount over former President Donald Trump’s audacious ambitions in the Arctic. The future of the island, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, is increasingly caught up in international debate and military posturing.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has emphasized that Greenland’s defense is a shared responsibility for NATO. The arrival of soldiers from countries including France, Germany, the UK, Norway, and Sweden is part of a broader European effort to support Denmark and ensure the island’s security in response to Trump’s repeated threats to claim it for the United States. In addition to this political show of strength, European forces are conducting short reconnaissance missions to assess the island’s defense needs.
The diplomatic situation remains tense. On Wednesday, Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt and Denmark’s Lars Løkke Rasmussen met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington. The discussions were meant to strengthen relations between the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland, but they did little to ease concerns. Trump reiterated that the U.S. “needs” Greenland for national security, casting doubt on Denmark’s ability to protect it, and insisting that “something will work out.”
Frederiksen acknowledged the difficulty of the talks and confirmed that a working group would explore ways to improve Arctic security. Yet she stressed that a fundamental disagreement persists, noting, “The American ambition to take over Greenland is intact. This is obviously serious, and we continue our efforts to prevent that scenario from becoming a reality.”
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen reinforced his country’s stance, emphasizing that dialogue with the U.S. must respect international law and Greenland’s constitutional position. “Greenland is not for sale,” he stated, underscoring that the island is a democratic society with self-government, part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and a NATO member.
European military contributions are already underway. France has deployed about 15 mountain infantry soldiers to Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, for exercises. Germany will send a reconnaissance team, while the Netherlands and the UK will also participate in joint exercises organized under Denmark’s Operation Arctic Endurance. NATO is exploring the possibility of an Arctic air-policing mission similar to its Eastern Sentry program, a plan that gained renewed urgency amid Trump’s Greenland comments.
Denmark is also increasing its permanent military presence. Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said NATO troops would rotate through Greenland alongside a larger Danish force, signaling a long-term commitment to the island’s security.
Despite these measures, disagreement remains. Rasmussen stated after the Washington meeting that Trump’s desire to claim Greenland remains unchanged. Trump himself warned, “If we don’t go in, Russia is going to go in and China is going to go in. There’s not a thing Denmark can do about it, but we can do everything about it.”
Public sentiment in Denmark and Greenland is strongly opposed to any U.S. acquisition, with protests planned in both Nuuk and Copenhagen. In the U.S., a CNN poll showed that nearly three-quarters of Americans oppose such a move, with 52% strongly against it. The unfolding situation makes Greenland a focal point of international intrigue, raising high-stakes questions about Arctic sovereignty, NATO commitments, and the limits of American ambition.
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