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Denmark has formally proposed that NATO launch surveillance operations in Greenland, the Arctic island's defense minister announced Monday following discussions with the alliance's secretary general.
"We have proposed it, the secretary general has taken note of that, and I think we can now -- we hope -- define a framework on how that can be concretised," Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told Danish television after meeting with NATO chief Mark Rutte.
The proposal comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has renewed pressure on the transatlantic alliance with repeated threats to take control of Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, describing his intentions as acquiring the island "one way or the other." Trump's statements have prompted European nations to mount a unified response against Washington's designs on the strategically located Arctic region.
German and French leaders characterized Trump's weekend comments as "blackmail" after the president suggested he could impose new tariffs on countries that resist his plans for Greenland. The autonomous territory, while part of the Kingdom of Denmark, maintains its own government for most domestic affairs under a home rule arrangement established in 1979.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte acknowledged the discussions on social media platform X, writing that he had spoken with the Danish minister and Greenland's top diplomat about "how important the Arctic - including Greenland - is to our collective security." He added that the alliance would "continue to work together as Allies on these important issues."
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Sweden's Defence Minister Pal Jonson indicated support for a potential NATO mission in the region, stating it "could be a way forward" in response to Trump's insistence that stronger measures are needed to counter threats from China and Russia in Greenland.
"We are seeing what is the most constructive way that we could contribute to this endeavor of strengthening the alliance footprint in the High North," Jonson said following a gathering of Nordic defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Greenland holds significant strategic value due to its location between North America and Europe, its proximity to Arctic shipping routes, and its mineral resources. The island hosts Pituffik Space Base, formerly known as Thule Air Base, which serves as a key U.S. early warning system for ballistic missiles and space surveillance. As Arctic ice melts due to climate change, the region has drawn increasing geopolitical attention from major powers seeking access to potential shipping lanes and natural resources.
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