European troops arrive in Greenland as disagreement with US continues

Troops from several European countries continued to arrive in Greenland on Thursday in a show of support for Denmark as talks among representatives of Denmark, Greenland and the US highlighted “fundamental disagreement” between the Trump administration and European allies on the future of the Arctic island, multiple news organisations reported.

It is the first time that such forces have operated outside a direct NATO command, according to a US-based web publication, The Wire Zone (TWZ).

France has deployed around 15 mountain specialists and Germany has sent a reconnaissance team of 13 personnel. The United Kingdom, Norway and Sweden have deployed one, two and three officers respectively.

The troops that arrived this week are part of a Danish-led initiative called Operation Arctic Endurance that aims to strengthen military cooperation among European countries in Greenland. They will undergo exercises that are meant to send a signal to Washington that European allies are ready and able to defend Greenland, TWZ reported.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, flanked by his Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt, said on Wednesday that a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland remains with US President Donald Trump after they held talks at the White House with Vice-President J D Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, ABC News reported.

Why Greenland matters

Greenland is the world’s largest island, located between Europe and North America. It is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and is covered by collective defence under NATO’s Article 5, meaning an attack on Greenland would be treated as an attack on all NATO members.

The defence has been managed through agreements back to the early Cold War. In 1951, Denmark and the US agreed to allow the US military to operate on the island, which was then crucial for early warning systems against Soviet missiles. The Arctic island is part of NATO’s collective defence framework, with Denmark responsible for its security.

The recent deployment may be the first instance in history when allied troops are deployed not to counter an external adversary outside the direct NATO command, but to demonstrate the alliance’s collective defence against the US itself.

US and Venezuela

The discussions over Greenland come against the backdrop of US military action in Venezuela earlier this month. US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores bringing him to New York to face criminal charges to assert control and influence the country's oil industry. Venezuelan authorities reported casualties and tensions across the region following the strike.

Just days after the Venezuela operation, Trump spoke about US interest in Greenland during media interviews, linking the island’s strategic value to broader security concerns in the Western Hemisphere.

Trump has repeatedly called for greater control or influence over Greenland, arguing that it is critical to their national security due to its strategic position and potential Russian and Chinese activities in the Arctic.

Trump has been discussing “a range of options” to acquire Greenland, including military use, which prompted Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to warn that any attack by the US would spell the end of NATO.