Amid a tense diplomatic situation regarding the political future of Greenland, the German Armed Forces ('Bundeswehr') sent a reconnaissance team to the Arctic island on January 16, 2026. The 15-member delegation, consisting of logisticians and experts, landed in the capital, Nuuk. The mission, conducted under Danish leadership, aims to examine the basic conditions for potential military contributions to regional security. This includes looking into options for sea area surveillance and joint military exercises with European partners such as Norway, Sweden, and France.
The background for the increased European presence is repeated statements by US President Donald Trump, who seeks to take over the island belonging to Denmark. Trump justifies this with national security interests and the protection against Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic. Furthermore, on the sidelines of an event at the White House, he threatened trade tariffs against nations that would not support his plans to acquire the territory. According to the US government, an acquisition could happen 'the easy way or the hard way,' with military options not being explicitly ruled out.
The Danish government and Greenlandic representatives firmly rejected the US claims again, emphasizing the territory's sovereignty. Demonstrations under the motto 'Hands off Greenland' took place in Nuuk and several Danish cities. Resistance is also emerging within the USA: A bipartisan delegation from the US Congress visited Copenhagen to assure NATO partner Denmark of their support. Several Republican representatives warned the President that a forceful annexation could mean the end of his presidency and a breakdown of the NATO alliance.
