War fever in Greenland: Denmark and NATO send troops, but won't save it from Trump's appetites

Denmark and NATO are reinforcing their military presence in Greenland following a fiasco at the White House—a move that analysts estimate will fail to protect the island from the ambitions of US President Donald Trump. On Wednesday, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen stated that a "fundamental disagreement" with the US President regarding the future of Greenland remains unresolved despite high-level talks in Washington. At the same time, Denmark and NATO allies are strengthening their military footprint on Arctic soil due to rising tensions.

Rasmussen described the discussions with Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as "honest but constructive," while emphasizing that Denmark and Greenland categorically reject the Trump administration's ongoing attempts to control the semi-autonomous island. "The President has expressed his position, and we have a different one. Ideas that do not respect the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and the right of Greenlanders to self-determination are absolutely unacceptable," he said.

Strengthening military presence in the Arctic

According to Time, the meeting took place as Denmark and NATO allies take visible steps to bolster their presence in Greenland. Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen announced that his country will increase military activities in the region, citing an increasingly unpredictable security environment. Rasmussen told reporters that Denmark is enhancing Arctic security "with additional funding for military capabilities—not dog sleds, but ships, drones, fighter jets, and more."

Several European NATO allies also confirmed they are sending personnel to the island. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated that officers from the Swedish Armed Forces have arrived in Greenland to prepare for exercises linked to the Danish-led Operation Arctic Endurance. Norway will send two military officers to further investigate cooperation. The German Ministry of Defense will dispatch a 13-member reconnaissance team from January 15 to 17 to assess potential contributions to regional security, including maritime surveillance.

Disagreements with Trump and Greenland's stance

The dispute is fueled by Trump's repeated declarations that the US must acquire Greenland "one way or another" for national security reasons. Rasmussen stressed that Denmark believes Greenland's long-term security can be ensured "within the existing framework," noting that the US already maintains a military presence on the island under the 1951 agreement. "The US already has extensive military access to Greenland," he stated. Despite the serious disagreement, both sides agreed to establish a high-level working group to examine whether the security concerns cited by Trump can be addressed without violating Denmark's "red lines."

Strategic importance of Greenland

Greenland is gaining strategic importance due to the melting of Arctic ice, which opens shorter trade routes to Asia and increases interest in unexplored deposits of critical minerals. Trump has also described the island as vital for his proposed US missile defense system, the "Golden Dome." Greenland's stance remains clear: "If we have to choose, we choose Denmark. We choose NATO. We choose the Kingdom of Denmark. We choose the EU," declared Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, in a blatant rejection of American blackmail.

The European mission to stabilize the Greenland crisis has failed

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen emerged from the meeting with JD Vance and Marco Rubio at the White House looking for a cigarette, capturing the difficult atmosphere of the encounter, as vividly described by Euractiv. Standing beside his Greenlandic counterpart, the scene resembled a "shotgun wedding" more than a diplomatic visit. The only tangible result was the agreement to form a "working group" to examine the seemingly incompatible demands of the Danes and the Americans.

Despite the talks, a "fundamental disagreement" remains between Denmark and the US, as characterized by Rasmussen. Within hours, Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he still intends to control the island and "there is nothing Denmark can do about it." Rasmussen reiterated that Greenlanders will never choose to join the US, even if Washington offered the rumored sum of $700 billion. "You trade with people, you don't trade people," he later told Fox News.

The European Union and strategic failure

In Berlin and Brussels, European leadership seems to be living on a different planet. Hours before Rasmussen's meeting, Ursula von der Leyen presented her ambition to turn the EU into a "military superpower" and emphasized that the proposed reconstruction loan for Ukraine "remains on the table," despite its failure in December. The gap between rhetoric and reality has widened in recent days. Andrius Kubilius, the defense commissioner and strategic thinker, proposed the creation of a 100,000-strong army and a new European security architecture, but the Commission rejected him. Furthermore, he stated that the EU's mutual defense clause "absolutely" covers Greenland—a claim von der Leyen refused to confirm.

Europe remains practically dependent on the US

In practice, the EU's "strategic independence" does not seem to be materializing. Of the 90 billion euros the EU plans to lend to Ukraine, approximately 10 billion will likely be spent on American weapons. Meanwhile, Europe pays 3 billion euros annually in interest. Simultaneously, European national capitals are increasing their own initiatives: countries like France and Germany are sending military personnel to Greenland to participate in exercises under Danish command.

These missions are primarily symbolic, aimed at showing Trump that Arctic security is being taken seriously. No one expects the Europeans to clash with the Americans over Greenland. With NATO appearing unstable, the EU's main new proposal is a "European security strategy," which we were the first to report von der Leyen is planning. However, the proposal is dismissed by many as mere chatter. It is no surprise that Trump remains indifferent.

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