Troops to the Arctic island were sent by France, Sweden, Germany, and Norway. The exercises in Greenland were announced after the failed negotiations where the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland met with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
European troops began arriving in Greenland for exercises on Thursday, just hours after a meeting of American, Danish, and Greenlandic officials in Washington, which, according to Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, failed to resolve "fundamental disagreements" surrounding the resource-rich Arctic island.
France, Sweden, Germany, and Norway announced that they would send troops for exercises as part of a reconnaissance mission to Greenland's capital, Nuuk.
"NATO troops are expected to have a more visible presence in Greenland starting today and in the coming days. There will be more military aircraft and ships," said Greenland's Deputy Prime Minister Múte Egede at a press conference on Wednesday, adding that they would conduct "exercises."
"The first French soldiers are already on their way. The others will follow," said French President Emmanuel Macron on social media platform X.
Germany's Ministry of Defense reported that, at Denmark's invitation, a Bundeswehr reconnaissance group of 13 personnel would be in Nuuk from Thursday to Sunday.
The announcement of military deployment to the Arctic island came on the same day that the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland met in Washington with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen stated after the meeting that the U.S. takeover of Greenland is "absolutely unnecessary."
"We were unable to change the American position. It is clear that the president [of the United States, Donald Trump] has a desire to acquire Greenland," the Danish minister told reporters. "We still have fundamental disagreements; we remain each in our own opinion."
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly promised to take control of the autonomous Danish territory, claiming it is vital for U.S. security.
Trump: "I think something will happen"
Donald Trump himself, speaking after a meeting he did not attend, took a conciliatory tone for the first time, acknowledging Denmark's interests in the island, although he reiterated that he does not rule out any options.
"I have a very good relationship with Denmark; we'll see how it goes. I think something will happen," said the American president, without going into details.
He reiterated that Denmark would be powerless if Russia or China attempted to occupy Greenland, but added, "We can do anything."
Donald Trump seems to have felt more confident about Greenland after ordering a raid in Venezuela on January 3, during which the country's president, Nicolás Maduro, was captured and brought to the U.S.
On the streets of Nuuk this week, red-and-white flags of Greenland were waving in shop windows, on apartment balconies, on cars and buses, as a sign of national unity.
Some residents expressed concern about being at the center of geopolitical attention.
"It's very scary because it's a very big deal," said Vera Stidsen, a 51-year-old teacher from Nuuk. "I hope that in the future we can live as we have so far: in peace and without anyone bothering us."
