A German military detachment was sent to Greenland on Thursday to join a multinational reconnaissance mission, as tensions rise with America over the strategically vital Arctic territory.
Denmark has invited Nato’s European allies to help reinforce the gateway to the Arctic on a mission that involves at least five countries. Greenland is an autonomous territory within Denmark.
US President Donald Trump has demanded greater security for the territory and White House aides have set out ambitions to seize Greenland.
France, Sweden, Norway and Britain also said they had sent personnel to Greenland at Denmark’s request, to take part in the Arctic Endurance exercise.
This follows a meeting on Wednesday between American and Danish officials, after which Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said they had not managed to change Mr Trump’s position and that the US leader remained intent on “conquering” Greenland.
During its three-day Greenland mission, the Bundeswehr team of 13 and other Nato countries' troops will evaluate the logistics, terrain and military contributions needed for a strong reinforcement of Greenland, as international competition grows in the region.
France has sent 15 elite mountain infantry forces. "An initial team of French military personnel is already on site and will be reinforced in the coming days with land, air and sea assets," French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.
"France and Europeans must continue to be present wherever their interests are threatened, without escalation but uncompromising on respect for territorial sovereignty."
With up to 57 icebreakers and Arctic patrol ships, Russia has the largest fleet available for the High North, while China − with four ice ships − has a fleet that it is rapidly expanding.
It is now becoming clear that the region is assuming far greater strategic importance, with its vast deposits of rare earth materials needed for emerging technologies and new shipping routes being opened by climate change ice melt.
Britain is in talks with its Nato allies about reinforcing the military presence in the Arctic, and military analysts have told The National that deploying a Royal Navy aircraft carrier could be an option.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer views the Russian threat in the area “extremely seriously”, No 10 Downing Street said, but is also keen to persuade Mr Trump that the region can be secured without annexing Greenland.
For Britain to succeed, argued former military intelligence officer Frank Ledwidge, it should contemplate using one of it 65,000-tonne aircraft carriers capable of carrying F-35 fighter jets, anti-submarine helicopters and a unit of Royal Marines.
Given the time needed to generate a carrier strike group, this would be viewed as a second phase, and unlike deploying a “couple of small patrol ships, like the Canadians” it would potentially “placate Trump − which is a strategic objective”, said Mr Ledwidge.
It would be a major commitment, but Britain had left “a big open area that it has failed to fill in the last 35 years, so this would put real capability back in the Greenland, Iceland, UK gap”, he added.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has also urged Nato to “step up its military and security presence in the Arctic”, amid rising geopolitical competition.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said the EU was “accelerating our work” in Greenland to boost “Arctic security”.
In France, which already has military personnel stationed in Greenland’s capital Nuuk, the language has been candid about steps being taken to thwart Mr Trump’s ambitions.
“It's certainly unprecedented in the face of the American political threat but it's a strong political signal. People were saying that Europe was taking its time, but not so much,” said Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, France’s ambassador to Poland on France Info radio.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot earlier said Greenland “does not want to be owned, governed or integrated by the United States”.
The idea of sending European Nato troops to Greenland was floated last week by German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul ahead of a trip to Reykjavik and Washington.
“We must ensure that the legitimate interests of all Nato members as well as those of the region’s inhabitants are at the forefront of our considerations,” he said. “Naturally, this also applies to Greenland and its people.”
This was followed by the Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel stating that his country's cabinet was “positively inclined towards a possible Nato mission”.
Mr van Weel on Thursday said a decision about whether to send "some Dutch soldiers" to Greenland would be made this week.
A Dutch Foreign Ministry spokesman told The National it was important for Nato allies to “search for collective solutions based on solidarity”.
