British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is discussing with European allies the possible deployment of military forces in Greenland to strengthen security in the Arctic and allay the US President Donald Trumpʼs concerns about Russian and Chinese influence in the region.
This is reported by The Telegraph, citing sources.
According to the publication, negotiations are underway between London, Germany, France and other European countries. Military planners are already developing options for a potential NATO mission on the island. This includes the possible deployment of British troops, ships and aircraft, or a limited presence in the form of exercises, intelligence sharing and strengthening of defense infrastructure.
European allies hope that increasing their military presence in the Arctic will persuade Trump to abandon the idea of annexing Greenland, allowing Washington to assert that Europe is shouldering the bulk of the costs of the regionʼs security.
According to sources, The Telegraph, the Greenland issue has already been discussed at a meeting of NATO allies in Brussels. The alliance has instructed its military command to assess what additional steps can be taken to strengthen security in the Arctic. Any operation is likely to take place under the NATO flag and be separate from the current missions in the Baltics and Poland.
The UK says it is already preparing for a more active role in the region. In particular, British marines and ships have taken part in NATO exercises in Norway. In addition, 1 500 military personnel are planned to be involved in Arctic exercises in Norway, Finland and Sweden this year.
Meanwhile, the European Union is considering tough measures in response if Trump rejects the idea of a NATO mission, according to the publication. Options include sanctions against American companies and even restrictions on the US military presence in Europe.
Analysts say Trumpʼs statements may be part of his negotiating tactics aimed at forcing allies to pay more for security.
- Previously, Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that the United States could "take control" of Greenland "for security reasons", and did not even rule out the use of force. He explained this by the risk of strengthening Russia and China near the American borders. Greenland is a self-governing territory, but is part of Denmark, a NATO member.
- On January 7, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot reported that Paris, together with its partners, is working on an action plan in case the US decides to seize Greenland.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine, please follow us on X.