The government of Denmark and the government of Greenland asked the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) this Monday (19) to create a permanent military mission of the Alliance around the Arctic island. The information was confirmed by Danish Defense Minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, after a meeting in Brussels with NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte.
According to Poulsen, the proposal was presented during the meeting, which also included the participation of Greenland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vivian Motzfeldt.
“We discussed the matter and also made the proposal,” the minister told the press, without detailing Rutte’s response. According to him, the NATO secretary general “took into consideration” the request presented.
As the Danish Defense Minister explained, the intention is to establish a structured Alliance mission that goes beyond specific exercises.
“I hope we can reach an agreement on how this mission around Greenland and the Arctic could be carried out,” said Poulsen, according to statements reproduced by the European press.
In recent days, soldiers from several allied countries disembarked in Greenland to participate in the Arctic Endurance exercise, aimed at strengthening NATO’s northern flank. According to the Danish government, however, these are maneuvers led by Denmark, and not a formal mission of the military organization.
The request comes amid statements by United States President Donald Trump, who once again expressed his desire to take control of Greenland, citing concerns about regional security given the increased presence of Russia and China in the Arctic.
