A Royal Danish Air Pressure (RDAF) Lockheed C-130J Tremendous Hercules is parked on the tarmak at Nuuk worldwide airport on January 15, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland, the day after it arrived transporting Danish army personnel.
Alessandro Rampazzo | Afp | Getty Photos
A number of NATO members are deploying small numbers of troops to Greenland for a joint army train, within the wake of tense talks with the White Home concerning the U.S. want to annex it.
Denmark, which is accountable for Greenland’s protection, Germany, France, Sweden, and Norway have all confirmed plans to ship army personnel to the sparsely populated island this week.
Trump has renewed his sights on taking the island following an audacious army intervention in Venezuela to depose its president Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3.
The troop deployment comes shortly after the international ministers of Denmark and Greenland held talks with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the White Home.
Talking to reporters alongside Greenland’s Vivian Motzfeldt, Danish Overseas Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen mentioned there had been a “elementary disagreement” with the U.S., however mentioned the hour-long assembly was “frank however constructive.”
Vance and Rubio didn’t instantly remark after the assembly. U.S. President Donald Trump, nonetheless, advised reporters within the Oval Workplace: “We want Greenland for nationwide safety.”
The U.S., Denmark, and Greenland agreed to ascertain a high-level working group to debate the way forward for the island, though, as had been extensively anticipated, the three international locations had been unable to discover a diplomatic decision to defuse tensions.
(L/R) Danish Overseas Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenland’s Overseas Minister Vivian Motzfeldt converse throughout a information convention on the Danish Embassy in Washington, DC, on January 14, 2026.
Oliver Contreras | Afp | Getty Photos
Earlier than the assembly, Denmark introduced plans on Wednesday to beef up its army presence in and round Greenland, saying the train actions might embrace guarding nationwide infrastructure, deploying fighter plane and conducting naval operations.
Germany’s Protection Ministry mentioned it will deploy a “reconnaissance staff” of 13 personnel to Nuuk, Greenland, on the invitation of Denmark.
The mission, which can happen Thursday by way of Saturday, is designed to discover the framework for doable army contributions to make sure safety within the area, Germany’s Protection Ministry mentioned, together with maritime surveillance capabilities.
‘Operation Arctic Endurance’
French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned in a social media put up that France can even take part within the joint workout routines organized by Denmark in Greenland, referring to it as “Operation Arctic Endurance.”
“The primary French army parts are already on their means. Others will comply with,” Macron mentioned Wednesday on X, in accordance with a Google translation.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson mentioned a number of officers from Sweden’s armed forces had been scheduled to reach in Greenland from Wednesday.
“They’re a part of a gaggle from a number of allied international locations. Collectively, they’ll put together for upcoming parts inside the framework of the Danish train Operation Arctic Endurance,” Kristersson by way of X, in accordance with a translation.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who has beforehand warned {that a} U.S. assault on Greenland would mark the top of NATO, thanked Rasmussen and Greenland’s Motzfeldt for countering the American claims on the talks.
“It was not a simple assembly,” Frederiksen mentioned in a Fb put up on Thursday, in accordance with a translation.
Greenland residents and political leaders have publicly rejected recommendations by U.S. President Donald Trump that the Arctic island might develop into a part of the USA.
Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Photos
“A working group is now being established to debate how safety within the Arctic may be strengthened. Nevertheless, that doesn’t change the very fact that there’s a elementary disagreement as a result of the American ambition to take over Greenland is unbroken,” Frederiksen mentioned.
The Danish prime minister additionally talked about that various NATO allies had been at the moment contributing to joint train actions in and round Greenland. “The protection and safety of Greenland is a typical concern for your complete NATO alliance,” she added.
Denmark: ‘We now have been stepping up’
Opinion polls have proven that Greenlanders overwhelmingly oppose U.S. management, whereas a robust majority assist independence from Denmark.
Denmark has pledged to spice up health-care spending and infrastructure investments in latest months, whereas additionally in search of to defuse tensions with the Trump administration by investing in Arctic protection, together with the acquisition of 16 extra F-35 fighter jets.
“We now have been stepping up. We now have allotted nearly $15 billion inside simply the final couple of years to capabilities within the Excessive North. We now have been pushing inside the Arctic NATO states for larger NATO engagement,” Rasmussen mentioned on Wednesday.
“We did not handle to vary the American place. It is clear that the president has this want of conquering over Greenland,” he continued.
“We made it very, very clear that this isn’t within the curiosity of the dominion.”
