Agreed to Increase Military Exercise Activity in Greenland
Greenland's Minister (Naalakkersuisoq) for Foreign Affairs, Vivian Motzfeldt, and Denmark's Defense Minister, Troels Lund Poulsen. (Photo: Denmark's Ministry of Defence).
Denmark and Greenland have decided to increase military presence in and around Greenland, in close cooperation with allies.
On Wednesday, the Danish Ministry of Defense and Greenland's government confirmed that military presence in Greenland will be increased. A press release states that geopolitical tensions have spread to the Arctic.
The increased military presence in and around Greenland will take place in close cooperation with NATO allies, the press release reads.
The purpose is to train the ability to operate in Arctic conditions and to strengthen the alliance's footprint in the Arctic for the benefit of both European and transatlantic security.
Planes, ships and soldiers
The increased presence will include aircraft, vessels, and soldiers, including those from NATO allies.
The exercise activity this year will include guarding critical infrastructure, providing assistance to local authorities in Greenland, including the police, receiving allied troops, deploying fighter aircraft in and around Greenland, and conducting naval operations.
The Danish Armed Forces in and around Greenland and the Faroe Islands are led by Joint Arctic Command.
"As part of the NATO alliance, it is a core priority for the Government of Greenland, that defence and security in and around Greenland are strengthened, and that this is achieved in close cooperation with our NATO allies," says Greenland's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Research, Vivian Motzfeldt.
"The Danish Ministry of Defence and the Government of Greenland, are working closely together to launch initiatives and cooperation among both our Arctic and European allies. Once the exercises commence, the Greenlandic people will be kept continuously informed about the activities via Joint Arctic Command’s platforms."
The Joint Arctic Command headquarters in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. (Foto: Birgitte Annie Hansen).
A heralded strengthening of the Armed Forces
As HNN has reported, Denmark announced last year a strengthening of its defense in the Arctic with several partial agreements on the region and the North Atlantic. The investments include the acquisition of maritime patrol aircraft capability, Arctic vessels, and drones.
"In the summer of 2025, the Danish Armed Forces strengthened their presence and exercise activity in and around Greenland with a number of initiatives and capabilities, including contributions from allies such as Germany, France, Sweden and Norway. The initiatives involved the deployment of capabilities at sea, on land, and in the air, as well as exercises related to protection of Greenland’s critical infrastructure," writes Denmark's Ministry of Defense.
Denmark's Minister of Defense, Troels Lund Poulsen, says that the Armed Forces, together with a number of Arctic and European allies, will in the coming weeks explore how an increased presence and exercise activity in the Arctic can be implemented in practice.
"Security in the Arctic is of crucial importance to the Kingdom of Denmark and our Arctic allies, and it is therefore important that we, in close cooperation with allies, further strengthen our ability to operate in the region. We did this in 2025, and as a natural extension of these efforts, we will continue and expand the cooperation in 2026," he adds.
"Must take place through NATO"
The announced strengthening of Arctic defense came only hours before Greenland's Foreign Minister Motzfeldt and her Danish colleague, Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, met with the US Vice President and Foreign Minister in Washington, DC.
On Monday, Greenland's government underscored that it cannot accept the US reiterating its desire to take control of Greenland.
"Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. As part of the Danish Realm, Greenland is a member of NATO, and the defense of Greenland must therefore take place through NATO," says a press release.
"All NATO countries, including the US, have a joint interest in the defense of Greenland, and the government coalition in Greenland will therefore cooperate with Denmark to ensure that the dialogue about and the development of the defense in Greenland takes place within the framework of the NATO cooperation," the press release continues.
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump repeated that the US needs Greenland for national security reasons. In a post on Truth Social, Trump writes that NATO should be leading the way for them to get it.
Lately, Trump has claimed that Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships. This has been refuted by several experts.
