Nuuk, Greenland — Several European NATO members are deploying small numbers of troops to Greenland this week, signaling support for Denmark’s sovereignty as tensions rise following repeated statements by President Donald Trump suggesting the United States could seek control of the Arctic territory.
According to the Associated Press, France, Germany, Sweden, and Norway have confirmed that military personnel are arriving in Greenland to participate in joint Arctic exercises with Danish forces. Swedish defense officials said officers from the Swedish Armed Forces arrived Wednesday, while about 15 French soldiers are already stationed in Nuuk. Germany is sending a 13-member reconnaissance team, and Norway has dispatched two defense personnel.
The deployments come after Danish and Greenlandic officials met Wednesday in Washington with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Following the talks, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen acknowledged a “fundamental disagreement” with U.S. officials over Greenland’s future, though both sides agreed to form a high-level working group to continue discussions.
Danish officials have warned that any attempt to seize Greenland by force would effectively end NATO, underscoring the severity of the dispute. NATO itself declined to directly address the troop movements, saying coordination of exercises remains the responsibility of Danish authorities. European leaders have framed the deployments as defensive and symbolic, emphasizing alliance solidarity rather than escalation.
Recent polling cited by AP found that roughly 68% of respondents oppose a forceful U.S. takeover of Greenland. While European nations have significantly increased defense spending and pledged to reach higher military investment targets, analysts note Europe still lacks fully independent command-and-control capabilities, leaving continued reliance on U.S. military infrastructure.
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