Allied boots on the ground
Small contingents of European troops — including teams from France and Germany, with contributions from Norway, Sweden and others — have begun arriving in Nuuk for a short reconnaissance and training mission aimed at bolstering security in Greenland. France sent a group of mountain infantry specialists and Germany deployed a 13-member reconnaissance team, joining Danish forces in what officials describe as exercises to sharpen Arctic readiness.
Diplomacy at a dead end
High-level talks in Washington between US, Danish and Greenlandic officials failed to resolve a sharp disagreement over the island’s future. After the meetings, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said a US takeover of Greenland was “absolutely not necessary,” and described the discussions as frank but unresolved. The White House, meanwhile, has insisted that the arrival of European troops will not change President Donald Trump’s thinking about Greenland.
Why Greenland matters
Washington argues Greenland is critical to US security in the Arctic and has repeatedly signaled it will consider a range of options to secure that interest. US officials say the island’s strategic location and emerging geopolitical competition in the Arctic — especially concerns about Russia and China — make Greenland a priority. European partners frame their deployments differently: as a collective reassurance that the island’s defence will remain a matter for NATO allies and part of multilateral cooperation.
France’s president said Paris would reinforce its initial detachment with additional land, air and maritime assets to join the exercise, while Greenland’s deputy prime minister warned NATO forces would be more visible in the coming days for training operations. The Netherlands and Estonia have also signalled participation, with Estonia saying it could put boots on the ground if requested.
The disagreement exposed in Washington underscored wider tensions between preserving Danish sovereignty, protecting Greenlandic interests and responding to American demands. Danish and Greenlandic leaders stress they want to manage security through established multilateral frameworks and development, not by transferring control of the territory.
For their part, US officials pressed the point that they view the island through the lens of strategic necessity; President Trump reiterated his interest in Greenland after the talks, saying he maintains a good relationship with Denmark but that he will “see how it all works out.” That posture — combining diplomatic niceties with uncompromising strategic claims — is fueling unease among allies.
Military planners say short reconnaissance missions and training rotations help clarify how partners might act together in an Arctic crisis, while also signalling resolve to external powers monitoring the region. Critics warn, however, that troop movements and talk of acquisitions risk inflaming a fragile political situation and undercutting long-term cooperation.
As troops come and go and diplomats regroup, Greenland has become the latest test of how NATO allies balance national ambitions with collective security — and whether arrangements built for a different era can adapt to new pressures in the high north.
