Denmark announced an immediate expansion of its military footprint in and around Greenland, coordinating with NATO allies to conduct exercises, guard infrastructure, and patrol with jets and ships.
An advanced command has arrived, paving the way for army units, aircraft, and naval assets in response to rising Arctic security challenges. The buildup follows recent meetings in which Danish officials firmly rejected U.S. sovereignty claims, with allies such as Sweden, Germany, Norway, and France offering support and warnings against any infringement.
Trump maintains Denmark cannot adequately defend Greenland, home to the U.S.-run Thule Air Base, against threats from Russia or China.
The high-profile meeting came as Denmark and its NATO partners are taking visible steps to reinforce their presence in Greenland. In Copenhagen, Denmark’s defense minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, announced that Denmark would increase military activity in and around Greenland, citing an increasingly unpredictable security environment. Rasmussen told reporters in Washington that Denmark was reinforcing security in the Arctic “by committing additional funds for military capabilities—not dogsleds, but ships, drones, fighter jets, etc.”
As part of the increased presence in the Arctic and North Atlantic, the Danish Armed Forces are, from today, deploying capabilities and units related to the exercise activities. In the period ahead, this will result in an increased military presence in and around Greenland, comprising aircraft, vessels and soldiers, including from NATO allies.
The exercise activities in 2026 could include guarding critical infrastructure, providing assistance to local authorities in Greenland, including the police, receiving allied troops, deploying fighter aircraft in and around Greenland, and conducting naval operations.
The Government of Greenland, and the Danish Ministry of Defence continue to collaborate closely on the initiatives to ensure local involvement and insight into local conditions.
Greenland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Research Vivan Motzfeldt states: “As part of the NATO alliance, it is a core priority for the Government of Greenland, that defence and security in and around Greenland are strengthened, and that this is achieved in close cooperation with our NATO allies. The Danish Ministry of Defence and the Government of Greenland, are working closely together to launch initiatives and cooperation among both our Arctic and European allies. Once the exercises commence, the Greenlandic people will be kept continuously informed about the activities via Joint Arctic Command’s platforms.”
Danish Minister for Defence Troels Lund Poulsen states: “Security in the Arctic is of crucial importance to the Kingdom of Denmark and our Arctic allies, and it is therefore important that we, in close cooperation with allies, further strengthen our ability to operate in the region. We did this in 2025, and as a natural extension of these efforts, we will continue and expand the cooperation in 2026. The Danish Armed Forces, together with a number of Arctic and European allies, will explore in the coming weeks how an increased presence and exercise activity in the Arctic can be implemented in practice.”
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