European forces move in
Troops from several European nations have started arriving in Greenland, taking part in reconnaissance and training missions around Nuuk. France, Germany, Norway, and Sweden are among the countries sending personnel, with France planning to reinforce its initial team with land, air, and naval units in the coming days. Greenland’s deputy prime minister said NATO forces will increase their presence in the region for exercises and training, emphasizing the strategic importance of the island.
Diplomatic talks hit a wall
The deployments followed high-level discussions in Washington between US officials and representatives from Denmark and Greenland. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said the talks exposed a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland’s future, and reiterated that a US takeover is “absolutely not necessary.” Despite the European presence and diplomatic efforts, the White House confirmed that these moves do not change President Donald Trump’s interest in acquiring the island.
Strategic importance fuels competing visions
President Trump has long described Greenland as critical to US national security, citing its Arctic location and the broader geopolitical competition involving Russia and China. While the US signals a willingness to explore all options, European nations frame their deployments as collective NATO action to ensure regional security.
Denmark and Greenland stress that the island should remain under Danish sovereignty and that security should be handled through international cooperation rather than unilateral US action. As troops arrive and exercises continue, Greenland has emerged as a flashpoint, highlighting tensions between national ambitions and multilateral security priorities in the Arctic.
