Troops from a number of European countries have arrived in Greenland amid continued threats by US President Donald Trump to take over the island – by force if necessary.
According to multiple media reports, France, Germany, the UK, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands have begun deploying modest numbers of military personnel to the strategically vital Arctic island, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark.
France has also said that it will be opening a consulate on the island in an apparent gesture of support to Denmark. Germany meanwhile said it was exploring “the framework conditions for possible military contributions to support Denmark in ensuring security in the region.”
The new troop deployments come a week after Denmark confirmed that its own forces garrisoned on the island have standing orders to open fire on any invaders – including the US military – without waiting for a greenlight from Copenhagen.
Denmark’s foreign minister has ruled out any US acquisition of Greenland, telling Danish media that it was “out of the question. It’s not what we want in Denmark, nor in Greenland and it runs counter to all international rules.”
[See more: Talks in Washington over Greenland end in ‘fundamental disagreement’]
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen pointed out last week that a US invasion would spell the death of NATO.
In spite of growing international unease and dismay, Trump remains adamant that the conquest or annexation of Greenland remains vital for US security. Washington argues that the melting of Arctic ice sheets as a result of climate change will increase the likelihood of hostile naval activity in the region, and pit Russia against the US in a struggle for dominance.
Greenland also harbours major reserves of rare earth crucial to military technology – potentially reducing US dependence on China, which is the world’s major supplier of the minerals and Washington’s chief geopolitical rival.
“I don’t think troops in Europe impact the president’s decision-making process, nor does it impact his goal of the acquisition of Greenland at all,” Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday.
