NATO officially launched the mission “Arctic Sentry” on Wednesday, aiming to enhance the Alliance’s military presence and readiness in the Arctic region, as geopolitical competition intensifies in one of the world’s most strategically significant areas.
The initiative comes amid recent tensions between NATO allies Denmark and the United States regarding the political future of Greenland, with the mission viewed by diplomats as a potential mechanism to ease growing disagreements.
Following a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Davos, Switzerland, last month, Alliance leaders agreed that NATO should assume a greater role in the region surrounding Greenland to counter potential Chinese and Russian influence in the Arctic and beyond.
Speaking at a press conference in Brussels, Rutte emphasized that the mission will unify NATO’s Arctic activities under a single command structure.
“For the first time, all activities we conduct in the Arctic will be brought under one command,” Rutte said. He added that NATO aims not only to coordinate existing operations but also to identify and address capability gaps, stressing concerns about increasing Russian and Chinese activity in the region.
In a statement announcing the mission, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Alexus Grynkewich, said “Arctic Sentry” demonstrates the Alliance’s commitment to protecting member states and maintaining stability in a region described as both strategically critical and environmentally challenging.
“This mission will leverage NATO’s strength to defend our territory and ensure that the Arctic and the High North remain secure,” Grynkewich stated.
While NATO has not disclosed the number of participating member states or deployed troops, officials confirmed the operation is multi-domain, incorporating air, naval, and land forces.
The mission will also integrate ongoing and planned exercises, including Denmark’s “Arctic Endurance” drill, currently underway near Greenland with participation from 11 European NATO members, and the upcoming “Cold Response” exercise in northern Norway and Finland, involving approximately 25,000 troops, including U.S. forces.
Seven of the eight Arctic nations are NATO members, with Russia remaining the only Arctic state outside the Alliance. Although Russian and Chinese naval vessels are not currently operating near Greenland, analysts warn that melting Arctic ice is expected to open new maritime routes, potentially intensifying global competition in the region.
The launch of “Arctic Sentry” follows similar NATO missions initiated last year in the Baltic Sea, responding to alleged Russian sabotage of undersea cables, and along the Alliance’s eastern flank after Russian drones reportedly entered Polish airspace in September.
