British troops could be part of ‘Arctic Sentry’ operation to deter US threats to Danish territory

Danish Navy vessel P572 Lauge Koch patrols the waters off the capital Nuuk, Greenland, in March last year. Photo / Odd Andersen, AFP

Germany is planning to set up a joint Nato operation in the Arctic in an effort to dissuade the United States from annexing Greenland.

The “Arctic Sentry” mission to monitor threats in the region could be modelled on Nato’s “Baltic Sentry” operation, which started last year to counter hostile activity and protect infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, sources told Bloomberg.

US President Donald Trump has threatened – using military force if necessary – to take control of the mineral-rich autonomous territory of Denmark, a Nato member.

The US President’s warnings, particularly in the wake of the US attack on Venezuela, have sparked concerns among European leaders and inside Nato.

Downing Street had been in talks with its European allies in recent days about deploying a military force to Greenland.

The plans, still at an early stage, could involve British soldiers, warships and planes being used to guard the island. Europe hopes such a plan would be enough to convince Trump to abandon his pursuit of the territory.

Yesterday, Lars Klingbeil, Germany’s vice-chancellor, urged the US to respect international law and Greenland’s sovereignty.

“It is solely a matter for Denmark and Greenland to decide on the future of Greenland,” Klingbeil said.

“Territorial sovereignty and integrity must be respected. These principles of international law apply to everyone – including the US. We are working together as Nato allies to increase security in the Arctic, not against each other.”

Klingbeil is set to fly to Washington this week for a meeting of G7 finance ministers convened by Scott Bessent, the US Treasury Secretary.

Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, will also hold talks about Greenland with Denmark this week.

Trump has repeatedly insisted that the US must “own” Greenland, citing security reasons. He said Moscow or Beijing will seize the island if he does not, insisting that “we’re not going to have Russia or China as a neighbour”.

He has repeatedly said, without evidence, that Russian and Chinese vessels operate near the island, which Denmark disputes.

“The image that’s ‍being painted of Russian and Chinese ships right inside the Nuuk fjord and massive Chinese investments being made is not correct,” said Lars Lokke Rasmussen, the Danish Foreign Minister.

Recent vessel tracking data from MarineTraffic and LSEG ⁠showed no Chinese or Russian ship presence near Greenland.

Two senior Nordic diplomats, with access to Nato intelligence, told the Financial Times that there had been no signs of submarine activity in Greenland’s waters by Moscow or Beijing in recent years.

Another Nordic diplomat said such activity was confined to the Russian side of the Arctic.

Ahead of meetings in Washington from today, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark’s Prime Minister, told lawmakers that the country faces a “decisive moment” in its diplomatic battle over Greenland.

She later posted on Facebook that “we are ready to defend our values – wherever it is necessary – also in the Arctic”.

Greenland’s assembly said last week that it ‌would bring forward a meeting ⁠to discuss its response to US ‍threats to take control of the island, which is home to around 57,000 people and has a long-held goal of eventually becoming an independent nation.

Its position between the US and Russia makes it a key site for strategic missile defence.

The island is also rich in natural resources, including copper, nickel, and rare earth minerals crucial for powering modern technology.

Moscow and Beijing have long been working to bolster their influence in the Arctic, which has become an increasingly contested region for transport routes and resources.

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