European nations to ship troops to Greenland as US annexation threats escalate

[ad_1] A number of NATO international locations are deploying small numbers of navy personnel to Greenland to take part in joint workouts with Denmark as US President Donald Trump ramps up his threats to forcibly annex the Arctic island.

Trump’s declarations have thrown Europe’s decades-old, US-led safety alliance into disaster, by elevating the prospect of NATO’s largest and strongest member annexing the territory of one other.

Denmark, which is answerable for Greenland’s protection, has warned an assault on Greenland would all however finish NATO, and announced on Wednesday that it was increasing its navy presence “in shut cooperation with NATO allies.”

Germany, Sweden, France and Norway have all since confirmed they're sending navy personnel to Greenland this week for a joint train with Danish troops. Canada and France have additionally mentioned they plan to open consulates in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, within the coming weeks.

It isn't uncommon for NATO international locations to ship troops to coach in different NATO international locations, and there was a years-long push by allies, together with the US, to ramp up joint workouts within the Arctic Circle. The US has about 150 troops stationed at its Pituffik House Base in northwestern Greenland.

However each the timing and symbolism of the most recent bulletins by European nations are a big present of solidarity at a time of unprecedented pressure inside NATO.

Trump has been extraordinarily vocal about his ambitions to grab management of the world’s largest island, together with by power if essential, saying he was “going to do one thing on Greenland, whether or not they prefer it or not,” during a press conference with oil executives on Friday.

In an announcement Wednesday, the German Protection Ministry mentioned it's sending a “reconnaissance group” of 13 navy personnel to Greenland Thursday for “an exploration mission” alongside different associate nations, at Denmark’s invitation.

Sweden additionally despatched an unspecified variety of troops to Greenland Wednesday at Denmark’s request, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced on X . The Swedish officers might be a part of a bunch of troops from different allied international locations who will collectively put together for an upcoming train referred to as Operation Arctic Endurance, he added.

French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned France may also take part in Operation Arctic Endurance. “The primary French navy items are already on their means. Others will observe,” he wrote on X.

Norway can be sending two protection personnel to Greenland, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Ministry of Protection confirmed to CNN.

NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Group, is a longstanding navy alliance between 30 European states in addition to the US and Canada.

It's constructed on the precept that an assault on anyone member have to be thought-about an assault on all of them, which is what makes US threats in opposition to Greenland – which is a part of NATO by its affiliation with Denmark – so extraordinary.

The Danish protection minister referred to as a possible US assault on Greenland “fully hypothetical.”

It's “unlikely {that a} NATO nation would assault one other NATO nation,” Troels Lund Poulsen informed reporters at a press convention on Wednesday.

Information of European deployments to Greenland got here as Danish and Greenlandic officers met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance Wednesday, hours after Trump mentioned on Fact Social “something much less” than US management of Greenland is “unacceptable.”

“NATO turns into much more formidable and efficient with Greenland within the fingers of the UNITED STATES,” Trump wrote early Wednesday, arguing US management of Greenland would additionally profit NATO.

That assembly yielded few tangible outcomes, with Danish International Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen noting that he and his Greenlandic colleague had “a frank but in addition constructive dialogue” with Rubio and Vance, however {that a} “elementary disagreement” persists.

Nonetheless, Rasmussen mentioned the events have agreed to kind “a high-level working group to discover if we will discover a widespread means ahead” that's anticipated to satisfy within the coming weeks.

Canadian International Minister Anita Anand said on X Sunday she referred to as her Greenlandic and Danish counterparts to “reiterate Canada’s steadfast assist for the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Anand mentioned she's going to journey to Greenland “within the coming weeks” to open Canada’s official consulate in Nuuk and convey Canada’s “deep dedication to regional safety and safety” within the Arctic.

France will open a consulate in Greenland on February 6, a transfer that has been within the works since final yr, International Minister Jean-Noel Barrot mentioned on RTL radio Wednesday, in accordance with Reuters information company.

Barrot urged the US to cease threatening Greenland, Reuters reported.

“Attacking one other NATO member would make no sense, it will even be opposite to the pursuits of the USA … and so this blackmail should clearly cease,” Barrot mentioned on RTL.