Denmark sends more troops to Greenland

Source: Politico.eu

With Donald Trump continuing to ramp up pressure in his bid to annex Greenland, Denmark on Monday is boosting its military presence on the Arctic island, according to local press reports. A "substantial contribution" of Danish combat soldiers is expected to arrive in Kangerlussuaq, the location of Greenland’s main international airport, on Monday evening, according to Danish broadcaster TV2.

Denmark’s top military commander in the Arctic, Maj. Gen. Søren Andersen, said that about 100 Danish soldiers have already arrived in Nuuk, Greenland's capital, and a similar number in Kangerlussuaq, in western Greenland. The soldiers are due to take part in the Arctic Endurance training exercise. Andersen said last week that the deployment is a response to Russian threats and not to Trump.

Copenhagen on Monday asked for a NATO mission to Greenland, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said, after a meeting with alliance chief Mark Rutte at NATO headquarters in Brussels. "We have proposed that, and NATO's secretary-general has also noted that," he told reporters. Lund Poulsen slammed Trump's threats against Greenland as "really, really hurtful," but warned the alliance still can't afford to sever ties with Washington. "If the Americans withdraw from NATO tomorrow, we will have a huge challenge in fending for ourselves," he said, adding: "it also gives us reason to do more on the European side."

The additional troops being sent to Greenland won't be going home anytime soon. “We will continue the mission for a year, maybe two, with the cooperation of foreign soldiers. We are trying to establish a schedule for deploying troops to Greenland in 2026 and the following year, so yes, it is a long-term mission," Andersen told Le Monde.

Read more: https://www.politico.eu/article/denmark-to-boost-military-presence-in-greenland/