Approximately 200 U.S. troops are currently stationed in Greenland, according to Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, as several European nations begin a military deployment to the island.
European Military Build-Up in Greenland
The scale of the planned European military build-up has not been publicly disclosed, but initial deployments appear limited. Germany is deploying a reconnaissance team of 13 personnel, first to Copenhagen, before continuing to Greenland with Danish personnel.
On Wednesday, a Danish Air Force plane landed at Nuuk airport, with personnel in military fatigues disembarking. Sweden is sending three officers, and Norway is contributing two. France is sending approximately 15 mountain specialists, with a first team already on the ground and reinforcements arriving by land, air, and sea, according to French President Emmanuel Macron.
France’s ambassador to the Poles, Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, stated France and the European Union must be “unyielding in upholding territorial sovereignty.” One British officer is joining the reconnaissance group, and the Netherlands will send one officer from its navy. Poland has announced it will not send soldiers.
According to Marc Jacobsen, an associate professor at the Royal Danish Defence College, the European deployment sends two messages to the U.S. administration. “One is to deter, is to show that ‘if you decide to do something militarily, we’re ready to defend Greenland’,” Jacobsen told Reuters. “And the other purpose is to say: ‘Well, we take your critique seriously, we increase our presence, take care of our sovereignty, and improve surveillance over Greenland.’”
Following meetings with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, Rasmussen and Greenland’s foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, announced the U.S. and Denmark will establish a working group to address concerns regarding the island.
Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, reiterated on Facebook Thursday that Greenland does not seek governance or ownership by the United States, and will remain a part of Denmark and the NATO alliance. He called for unity, calm, and responsibility, stating he is closely monitoring the situation and working to protect Greenland.
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