After a meeting between the head of the Danish Arctic Command and senior American military officials, it was expressed that Denmark is not concerned about the prospect of the United States potentially taking over Greenland. However, there is an emphasis on the need to strengthen deterrence against any potential Russian attacks in the Arctic region, with a shift in focus towards territorial defense for the Arctic Command.
US President Donald Trump has previously raised the idea of the United States acquiring Greenland, an extensive semi-autonomous Danish territory strategically located on the shortest air route between North America and Europe, which holds significance for the US ballistic missile early warning system.
President Trump has not ruled out the possibility of using force to obtain control of the region. The US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth did not deny the existence of contingency plans during a congressional hearing earlier this month.
Commander Soren Andersen of the Danish Joint Arctic Command stated in an interview with Reuters, “This is not in my considerations at all.” He further added that he is not worried about the situation and sleeps well at night, emphasizing the continued military cooperation between Denmark and the United States.
In a recent visit to Greenland’s Thule Air Base on June 19th and 20th, US military leader responsible for Greenland defense, Gregory Guillot, visited for the first time since Greenland was transferred from the European Command to the Northern Command’s jurisdiction.
Andersen commented after a meeting with Guillot, amid Denmark’s largest military exercise in Greenland since the Cold War. There have been previous incidents of Russian and Chinese vessels appearing in Greenland’s waters, with the Trump administration criticizing Denmark for not adequately safeguarding Greenland’s security, allegations that both Russia and China have denied.
Andersen noted that threats to Greenland this year have not escalated, saying, “We have not seen any Russian or Chinese vessels here.” Denmark’s permanent military presence in Greenland consists of four aging patrol ships, a small surveillance aircraft, and sled dog teams for patrol missions covering a land area about four times the size of France.
Andersen explained that while the Arctic Command’s previous focus was on demonstrating presence and carrying out civilian missions like search and rescue and fisheries patrols, it is now gradually shifting towards territorial defense tasks. He believes that defending Greenland is not particularly challenging, as they only need to secure a few key points with corresponding plans in place, aligning with NATO’s plans.
As part of this month’s military exercise, Denmark deployed a frigate, several F-16 fighter jets, special forces, and additional personnel, while enhancing surveillance of key infrastructure.
Andersen noted that these forces will withdraw next week after the exercise ends but expressed hope for similar exercises in the coming months to maintain a conflict-free status in the region, emphasizing the need to establish credible deterrence. He stated, “If Russia starts to change its behavior around the vicinity of Greenland, I must be able to take immediate action.”
In January, Denmark pledged over $2 billion to strengthen its Arctic defense, including new Arctic patrol vessels, long-range drones, and satellite monitoring systems. France also expressed willingness to station troops in Greenland, while the EU’s top military official stated that European countries having a military presence in the area is reasonable.
Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, has a population of about 20,000, with the remaining approximately 57,000 residents scattered across 71 small towns on the west coast. Andersen highlighted the lack of infrastructure in other regions of Greenland, which itself serves as a form of deterrence.
“For instance, if the Russian Navy were to land on the east coast, I believe such a military operation could quickly turn into a search and rescue operation,” Andersen said.
(Reference: This article is based on relevant reports from Reuters)