Denmark reportedly drew up contingency plans to defend Greenland following repeated statements by US President Donald Trump about acquiring the Arctic territory, according to public broadcaster DR.
Citing senior government and military sources, the report said Danish forces deployed in January were authorised to destroy airport runways in Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq to prevent a potential US military landing. Blood supplies were also positioned in preparation for possible casualties.
DR said it based its report on 12 sources at the top of the Danish government and military, and also sources among Denmark’s allies in France and Germany.
A high-ranking Danish security source reportedly told DR that “when Trump keeps saying he wants to take over Greenland, and then what happened in Venezuela happened, we had to take all scenarios seriously.”
Soon afterwards, a small military contingent of Danish, French, German, Norwegian and Swedish soldiers was flown to the Greenland capital Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq, where there is an airport.
DR said a follow up deployment included elite Danish soldiers and a French contingent trained for warfare in cold, mountainous areas. Danish aircraft and a French naval vessel were sent towards the North Atlantic.
The deployment was presented as part of Danish-led joint military exercises called Operation Arctic Endurance – but the real reason was to prepare for a possible US invasion, DR said.
European officials cited by the Financial Times later corroborated elements of the report, underscoring tensions within NATO over Greenland’s strategic importance in Arctic security and defence.
Trump has since called for negotiations, stating he does not intend to use force, while Greenland and Denmark continue to reject any transfer of sovereignty.
ℹ️ BBC News
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