Denmark is preparing to increase its military presence in Greenland amid a crisis with the United States and threats from Donald Trump to annex the island.
The Danish network TV2 reported that a “substantial force” of Danish soldiers is expected to arrive Monday evening in Kangerlussuaq, home to Greenland’s main international airport.
The highest-ranking Danish military commander in the Arctic, Major General Andersen, stated that around 100 Danish troops have already arrived in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, with a similar number in Kangerlussuaq in western Greenland.
Politico reports that the mission will be long-term. The soldiers will participate in the Arctic Endurance training exercise. Andersen emphasized last week that the mission is a response to Russian threats, not to Trump.
Meanwhile, as noted by Politico, Copenhagen requested a NATO mission in Greenland on Monday, a request that was “acknowledged” by the NATO Secretary-General.
In statements, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen condemned Trump’s threats against Greenland as “extremely harmful” but warned that the Alliance “still cannot afford a disruption in its relations with Washington.”
