Greenland sees NATO troop deployments amid Donald Trump threats

New Delhi, Jan 15: Several NATO countries are deploying small numbers of military personnel to Greenland for joint exercises with Denmark, as US President Donald Trump escalates threats to forcibly annex the Arctic island.

CNN reported that Trump’s remarks have jolted Europe’s decades-old, US-led security alliance by raising the prospect of NATO’s most powerful member seeking to take over the territory of another ally.

Denmark, which is responsible for Greenland’s defence, has warned that any attack would effectively end NATO and announced this week an expansion of its military presence “in close cooperation with NATO allies.”

Germany, Sweden, France, and Norway have confirmed they are sending personnel to Greenland, while Canada and France plan to open consulates in Nuuk in the coming weeks.

French President Emmanuel Macron said a French military team is already on the ground and will be reinforced with air, sea, and land components.

While NATO allies routinely conduct training deployments, and the US already has about 150 troops at its Pituffik Space Base, the timing and symbolism of these moves signal a strong show of European solidarity amid unprecedented tensions within the alliance.