The deployment of a reconnaissance team of 13 soldiers from the German army (Bundeswehr) to the capital Nuuk of Greenland from January 15 was carried out at the invitation of Denmark, the German Ministry of Defense informed.
Berlin said that this mission aims to "discover the framework conditions for possible military contributions to support Denmark in ensuring regional security".
Reuters reported that the mission, lasting from January 15 to January 17, aims to understand military contributions, such as maritime surveillance, to strengthen regional security.
France - the only nuclear power of the European Union - also confirmed that it will send troops to Greenland.
Previously, on January 14, Norway and Sweden also announced that they would send troops to Greenland.
The above moves took place as US President Donald Trump stepped up efforts to annex this Arctic island.
Mr. Trump has repeatedly declared that he will seize control of Denmark's autonomous territory, arguing that the island is very important to US security.
The incident was announced after a tense meeting between US, Danish and Greenland officials in Washington.
After a meeting involving US Vice President J.D. Vance and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on January 14, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said, "it is clear that the president wants to conquer Greenland", which he considered "completely unnecessary".
In another related development, German media reported on January 14 that the President of the German Reserve Army Association Patrick Sensburg said that European troops, including from Germany, should be deployed to Greenland. Mr. Sensburg said this move is necessary to prevent the US from controlling Greenland.
We must assume that US President Donald Trump is really serious about the Greenland issue. Therefore, Europe must show a much stronger presence in Greenland. We must deploy 2 European brigades there under Danish command for a short time," he said in an interview with the German newspaper Bild.
The head of the German Reserve Corps pointed out that the deployment of reserve brigades will also bring many opportunities, in which the German Armed Forces "can also train and train soldiers in Greenland. This will strengthen the solidarity of Europe".
