Denmark to spice up Greenland defence with new ships, jets and HQ

[ad_1] Stuart Lau and

Danny Aeberhard BBC World Service Europe editor

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/f381/live/df5bf250-a643-11f0-968a-efb7a719b7f7.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/f381/live/df5bf250-a643-11f0-968a-efb7a719b7f7.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f381/live/df5bf250-a643-11f0-968a-efb7a719b7f7.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/f381/live/df5bf250-a643-11f0-968a-efb7a719b7f7.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/f381/live/df5bf250-a643-11f0-968a-efb7a719b7f7.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/f381/live/df5bf250-a643-11f0-968a-efb7a719b7f7.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/f381/live/df5bf250-a643-11f0-968a-efb7a719b7f7.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f381/live/df5bf250-a643-11f0-968a-efb7a719b7f7.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Bloomberg via Getty Images The Royal Danish Navy Thetis-class warship HDMS Vaedderen sails past sea ice off the coast of Nuuk, Greenland, on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. " class="sc-5340b511-0 bGQwLJ"/> Bloomberg through Getty Photos A Danish warship off Nuuk, Greenland (April 2025)

Denmark has introduced $4.2bn (£3.2bn) of additional defence spending to spice up safety in Greenland and the Arctic and North Atlantic areas.

It'll additionally spend $4.5bn shopping for 16 extra F-35 fighter jets from the USA, bringing its complete fleet of such superior planes to 43.

"With this... settlement we considerably strengthen the capabilities of the Danish Armed Forces within the area," Denmark's Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen mentioned in a press release on Friday.

The defence enhance comes after US President Donald Trump repeatedly expressed his want to accumulate Greenland, saying the huge Arctic island - beneath Danish sovereignty - was "essential" for nationwide and financial safety.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/ca63/live/697d4eb0-a636-11f0-92db-77261a15b9d2.png.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/ca63/live/697d4eb0-a636-11f0-92db-77261a15b9d2.png.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/ca63/live/697d4eb0-a636-11f0-92db-77261a15b9d2.png.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/ca63/live/697d4eb0-a636-11f0-92db-77261a15b9d2.png.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/ca63/live/697d4eb0-a636-11f0-92db-77261a15b9d2.png.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/ca63/live/697d4eb0-a636-11f0-92db-77261a15b9d2.png.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/ca63/live/697d4eb0-a636-11f0-92db-77261a15b9d2.png.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/ca63/live/697d4eb0-a636-11f0-92db-77261a15b9d2.png.webp" loading="lazy" alt="A map depicting the location of Greenland's capital Nuuk, Washington and Denmark" class="sc-5340b511-0 bGQwLJ"/> Denmark labored on the brand new defence bundle with the governments of Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

It'll purchase two new Arctic ships, maritime patrol planes, drones and early warning radar.

Crucially, a brand new Arctic command headquarters shall be arrange within the Greenlandic capital, Nuuk, alongside a brand new army unit beneath Joint Arctic Command in Greenland.

"The duty of the Armed Forces is to make sure safety all through the Kingdom - and, if crucial, to defend Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Denmark throughout the framework of Nato in all domains," the Chief of Defence, Michael Hyldgaard, informed Danish public broadcaster DR, with out saying who the potential adversaries have been.

As well as, an undersea cable connecting Greenland and Denmark shall be funded.

The assertion by the Danish defence ministry talks about deterrence and Nato obligations - nevertheless it doesn't point out the USA or Russia.

However this all comes amid considerations concerning the intentions of President Trump, who has acknowledged he needs to get management of Greenland, for safety causes and for its huge sources.

"I believe we'll have it," Trump mentioned in January, referring to Greenland, including that the island's 57,000 residents "need to be with us".

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/c019/live/06cfdab0-a638-11f0-88db-0def81c7b5c7.png.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/c019/live/06cfdab0-a638-11f0-88db-0def81c7b5c7.png.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/c019/live/06cfdab0-a638-11f0-88db-0def81c7b5c7.png.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/c019/live/06cfdab0-a638-11f0-88db-0def81c7b5c7.png.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/c019/live/06cfdab0-a638-11f0-88db-0def81c7b5c7.png.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/c019/live/06cfdab0-a638-11f0-88db-0def81c7b5c7.png.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/c019/live/06cfdab0-a638-11f0-88db-0def81c7b5c7.png.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/c019/live/06cfdab0-a638-11f0-88db-0def81c7b5c7.png.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Reuters Donald Trump Jr, the president's eldest son, made a private visit to Greenland to make a podcast recording in January." class="sc-5340b511-0 bGQwLJ"/> Reuters Donald Trump Jr, the president's eldest son, made a non-public go to to Greenland to make a podcast recording in January.

Greenland has been house to a US radar base for the reason that Chilly Warfare and has lengthy been strategically essential for Washington.

Although the island has wide-ranging autonomy, it stays a part of the dominion of Denmark.

Trump advised the island was essential to army efforts to trace Chinese language and Russian ships, which he mentioned are "in all places".

Greenland lies on the shortest route from North America to Europe, making it strategically essential for the US. It's also house to a big American house facility.