France has confirmed that it will participate in joint European military exercises in Greenland, organized by Denmark, in a context of geopolitical tensions in the Arctic and following statements by United States President Donald Trump about his intention to establish control over the island.
The announcement was made by French President Emmanuel Macron through the social network X. According to the head of state, the first French military elements are already on their way to Greenland, with new detachments expected to be sent afterwards.
“At the request of Denmark, I have decided that France will participate in the joint exercise organized by Denmark in Greenland, Operation Arctic Endurance”, stated Macron, adding that the deployment will occur progressively.
Currently, Germany, Sweden and Norway have already sent troops to the island, albeit in reduced numbers. It was also previously reported that the British government is holding negotiations with European allies about the possibility of sending a military contingent to Greenland.
Furthermore, the president of the Union of German Reservists, Patrick Sensburg, publicly defended the sending of a European brigade to the region, arguing that Europe needs to demonstrate a more robust presence given the intentions attributed to the North American president in relation to a territory considered strategic in the Arctic.
Trump, in turn, has expressed concerns about the presence of Russian and Chinese forces in the Arctic, classifying Greenland as an area of strategic importance. In response, leaders of key European countries released a joint statement reaffirming the inviolability of Danish sovereignty and the island’s status as an autonomous territory under administration from Copenhagen.
On the Danish side, the Minister of Defense Troels Lund Poulsen stated that the country is moving towards establishing a more permanent and larger-scale military presence in Greenland, given the security scenario in the Arctic.
The last French deployment to Greenland took place in October 2025, during the exercise Arctic Light 2025organized by Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command. On that occasion, an A330 MRTT plane from the French Air and Space Force carried out in-flight refueling missions for Danish aircraft; on land, a Mountain Command Group equipped with drones was integrated into a local unit; and, in the naval domain, the support ship Garonne, from the French Navy, also participated. The combination of naval, land and air assets established France as one of the main contributors to the exercise.
Source and images: X @EmmanuelMacron | @armeedeterre | @MarineNationale | Militarnyi. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
At the request of Denmark, I have decided that France will participate in the joint exercises organized by Denmark in Greenland, Operation Arctic Endurance.
The first French military elements are already on the way. Others will follow.— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) January 14, 2026
