January 11, 2026 l Reporter: Johnson
LONDON/BRUSSELS — The United Kingdom is engaging in high-level discussions with European and NATO partners on the possibility of stationing troops and bolstering military presence in Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark in the Arctic, amid mounting tension triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial overtures toward Greenland’s annexation and security role.
British government officials have reportedly held preliminary talks with counterparts from Germany, France and other NATO members to explore early-stage plans that could include deploying UK military personnel, warships and aircraft to Greenland under a NATO-led framework, according to regional security sources. The proposals are said to be motivated in part by concerns about Arctic stability and deterrence amid perceived threats from Russia and China, as well as reactions to Trump’s repeated assertions that the U.S. should secure Greenland even hinting he might use force if necessary.
While Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has described these exchanges as “business as usual” discussions related to deterring Russian activity and securing the Arctic region, the timing and substance of the talks reflect broader unease among European allies about Trump’s rhetoric and its implications for NATO cohesion and allied territorial integrity.
Trump has publicly stated that the United States must take action on Greenland, citing fears that Russian or Chinese influence could grow in the resource-rich and strategically placed island, which hosts a small but important Danish and NATO military presence. His comments have provoked strong pushback from Danish and Greenlandic leaders, who insist the island’s sovereignty and future should be decided by its inhabitants and Denmark not by outside powers.
Reports suggest that a possible military presence in Greenland could be structured under NATO, including joint patrols and enhanced defense cooperation, as part of wider Arctic deterrence strategies that have been under review in Brussels and allied capitals. European officials hope that a visible allied security role in the region could deter unilateral moves by any power including Washington and reaffirm the collective defense principles that underpin the alliance.
The discussions mark a rare instance of allied planning in direct response to statements from a U.S. leader about territorial ambitions involving another NATO member’s territory, raising questions over transatlantic unity even as European governments seek to uphold the principle of sovereignty and the rule of international law in the High North.