A group of German military personnel, who arrived in Greenland for training on January 15 at the initiative of Denmark, has already left the island.
A correspondent for Bild saw German soldiers with all their belongings at the airport in the capital of Greenland, Nuuk.
Media reported that on the morning of January 18, a 15-member Bundeswehr reconnaissance group was urgently ordered to fly home without explanation. According to journalists, the mission ended earlier than planned, and all previously planned meetings and events were canceled.
Moreover, as Bild noted, the commander of the intelligence group, Admiral Stefan Pauli, had only said the day before that he and his partners had exchanged views on further cooperation, reported this to Berlin, and was waiting for approval to discuss the next steps with Denmark.
However, Bild later clarified, citing the German Ministry of Defense, that the military left Greenland as planned.
They noted that their familiarization visit to the island was initially planned for January 15-17. They decided not to continue the trip until January 18 due to weather conditions. Therefore, in the afternoon, the German military left the island and headed for Copenhagen.
A German army spokesman said the military had completed its reconnaissance in Greenland as planned, calling the results "satisfactory to everyone".
Initially, the publication suggested that the rapid departure of German troops could be related to Donald Trumpʼs recent threats since February to impose tariffs on eight countries that have sent troops to Greenland. These were Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland.
These countries later stated that they “stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland”, and that “threats to impose tariffs undermine transatlantic relations”.
What is happening to Greenland?
In December 2024, the US President Donald Trump declared that “possession and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity” for US national security. He has since reiterated his desire to acquire the island.
In response, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called on the US president to "stop the threats". Denmark decided to significantly increase defense spending on the island and also changed the royal coat of arms to more prominently include the symbols of Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
In November, the Danish Foreign Ministry reported that it had launched a “night watch” to monitor Donald Trump’s statements and actions while Copenhagen slept.
Reuters, citing sources, reported on January 8 that the Trump administration is discussing the possibility of paying Greenlanders between $10 000 and $100 000 to join the US. Polls show that nearly 85% of Greenlanders oppose its secession from the Kingdom of Denmark and joining the US.
On January 13, Republican Congressman Randy Fine introduced a bill in the US House of Representatives that would annex Greenland and grant it the status of the 51st US state.
Trump said that Greenland is necessary for the United States to create a "golden dome" and stressed that NATO should facilitate this. NBC News reported that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has already been instructed to prepare a proposal to purchase the island. Experts have estimated that this could cost the United States $700 billion.
After further threats from the US president, Denmark decided to send additional equipment and troops to Greenland "in connection with training activities".
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