Denmark has said it will strengthen its military presence in Greenland and work with NATO allies to increase activity in the Arctic, responding to criticism from the United States that Copenhagen has neglected the defence of the strategically important territory.“We will continue to strengthen our military presence in Greenland, but we will also have an even greater focus within NATO on more exercises and an increased NATO presence in the Arctic,” Danish defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen said in a statement to AFP on Wednesday.
The comments came hours before a meeting at the White House involving officials from Greenland, Denmark and the United States to discuss the future of the autonomous Danish territory. Poulsen added that Denmark “has an ongoing dialogue with its Allies about new and increased activities in 2026.” Greenland, the world’s largest island, has gained renewed geopolitical attention because of its location between North America and Europe, its proximity to the Arctic shipping routes. Ever since the US operation in Venezuela to take out Maduro, Trump has shifted his focus on Greenland making repeated assertions from expressing willingness to buy the autonomous Danish territory to threatening invasion. US criticism of Denmark’s role in Greenland’s defence has been another bone of contention, with Trump insisting Copenhagen inability, and pointing to its strategic importance for US national security. The suggestion has been firmly rejected by both Denmark and Greenland. But Trump continues to has since reiterated that Greenland is vital to US security, keeping the issue in the public domain.Greenland is a self-governing territory within Denmark, with Copenhagen retaining responsibility for defence and foreign policy. Denmark’s latest comments signal an effort to reassure allies of its commitment to Arctic security and collective defence through NATO.
