A Royal Danish Air Pressure (RDAF) Lockheed C-130J Tremendous Hercules is parked on the tarmak at Nuuk worldwide airport on January 15, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland, the day after it arrived transporting Danish navy personnel.
Alessandro Rampazzo | Afp | Getty Pictures
A number of NATO members are deploying small numbers of troops to Greenland for a joint navy train, within the wake of tense talks on the White Home in regards to the U.S. want to annex it.
Denmark, which is chargeable for Greenland’s protection, Germany, France, Sweden and Norway have all confirmed plans to ship navy personnel to the sparsely populated island this week.
U.S. President Donald Trump has renewed his sights on taking the island following an audacious navy intervention in Venezuela to depose its president, Nicolás Maduro, on Jan. 3.
The troop deployment comes shortly after the overseas ministers of Denmark and Greenland held talks with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the White Home.
Talking to reporters alongside Greenland’s Vivian Motzfeldt, Danish International Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen stated there had been a “elementary disagreement” with the U.S., however stated the hourlong assembly was “frank however constructive.”
Vance and Rubio didn’t instantly remark after the assembly. Trump, nevertheless, advised reporters within the Oval Workplace: “We’d like Greenland for nationwide safety.”
The U.S., Denmark and Greenland agreed to ascertain a high-level working group to debate the way forward for the island, though, as had been extensively anticipated, the three nations had been unable to discover a diplomatic decision to defuse tensions.
(L/R) Danish International Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenland’s International Minister Vivian Motzfeldt communicate throughout a information convention on the Danish Embassy in Washington, DC, on January 14, 2026.
Oliver Contreras | Afp | Getty Pictures
Earlier than the assembly, Denmark introduced plans on Wednesday to beef up its navy presence in and round Greenland, saying the train actions might embrace guarding nationwide infrastructure, deploying fighter plane and conducting naval operations.
Germany’s Protection Ministry stated it might deploy a “reconnaissance workforce” of 13 personnel to Nuuk, Greenland, on the invitation of Denmark.
The mission, which is able to happen Thursday by way of Saturday, is designed to discover the framework for potential navy contributions to make sure safety within the area, the German Protection Ministry stated, together with maritime surveillance capabilities.
‘Operation Arctic Endurance’
French President Emmanuel Macron stated in a social media put up that France may even take part within the joint workout routines organized by Denmark in Greenland, referring to it as “Operation Arctic Endurance.”
“The primary French navy parts are already on their approach. Others will comply with,” Macron stated Wednesday on X, in accordance with a Google translation.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated a number of officers from Sweden’s armed forces had been scheduled to reach in Greenland from Wednesday.
“They’re a part of a gaggle from a number of allied nations. Collectively, they may put together for upcoming parts throughout the framework of the Danish train Operation Arctic Endurance,” Kristersson stated through X, in accordance with a translation.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who has beforehand warned {that a} U.S. assault on Greenland would mark the top of NATO, thanked Rasmussen and Greenland’s Motzfeldt for countering the American claims on the talks.
“It was not a simple assembly,” Frederiksen stated in a Fb put up Thursday, in accordance with a translation.
Greenland residents and political leaders have publicly rejected recommendations by U.S. President Donald Trump that the Arctic island might change into a part of america.
Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Pictures
“A working group is now being established to debate how safety within the Arctic will be strengthened. Nonetheless, that doesn’t change the very fact that there’s a elementary disagreement as a result of the American ambition to take over Greenland is undamaged,” Frederiksen stated.
The Danish prime minister additionally talked about that a lot of NATO allies had been presently contributing to joint train actions in and round Greenland. “The protection and safety of Greenland is a typical concern for all the NATO alliance,” she added.
Denmark: ‘We have now been stepping up’
Opinion polls have proven that Greenlanders overwhelmingly oppose U.S. management, whereas a powerful majority help independence from Denmark.
Denmark has pledged to spice up health-care spending and infrastructure investments in latest months, whereas additionally looking for to defuse tensions with the Trump administration by investing in Arctic protection, together with the acquisition of 16 further F-35 fighter jets.
“We have now been stepping up. We have now allotted nearly $15 billion inside simply the final couple of years to capabilities within the Excessive North. We have now been pushing throughout the Arctic NATO states for greater NATO engagement,” Rasmussen stated Wednesday.
“We did not handle to vary the American place. It is clear that the president has this want of conquering over Greenland,” he continued.
“We made it very, very clear that this isn’t within the curiosity of the dominion.”
