Europe looks to NATO as Greenland rises on the security agenda

As competition over Arctic security intensifies, the EU is seeking to assert its role through NATO rather than unilateral action. In its draft budget, the Commission has doubled funding for Arctic-related initiatives to around €530 million, signalling Brussels’ intent to deepen partnerships and reinforce its stake in the region’s security.

The move comes amid growing unease in Europe over recent remarks from the Trump administration on Greenland. The U.S. president has suggested expanding American control over the Arctic, including by force if necessary, arguing that the region is increasingly vulnerable to Chinese and Russian influence.

The state of Arctic defence today

The current military footprint in the Arctic remains limited. Any initiative to expand a foreign military presence in Greenland must be authorised both by Denmark, a NATO member, and by the local Greenlandic government.

At present, the island hosts only one full-scale military base, operated by the United States at Pituffik, formerly known as Thule Air Base. Established in 1951 under a Denmark-U.S. agreement, the base sits in the north-west of the island and is run by the U.S. Space Force. Its core tasks are radar and space surveillance, as well as support for NATO-led Arctic operations.

Greenland has no national army. Defence responsibilities are handled by Denmark through the Joint Arctic Command. Key Danish facilities play a critical role in monitoring and securing strategic Arctic routes.

The case for a joint NATO mission

Washington’s renewed focus on the Arctic goes beyond presidential rhetoric. The U.S. special envoy for Greenland, Jeff Landry, has publicly claimed that Denmark reasserted control over the island after the Second World War in breach of UN protocols. He has also argued that the United States safeguarded Greenland’s sovereignty during the war, at a time when Denmark was unable to do so.

Brussels has pushed back firmly. The EU position, echoed by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, is that Greenland belongs to its people and decisions affecting the island rest with Greenland and Denmark. 

Danish officials were quick to respond to U.S. claims. Denmark’s ambassador to Washington stressed the country’s long-standing alliance with the U.S., recalling its military contributions alongside American forces after 9/11, including its heavy losses in Afghanistan. He also underlined that all five parties in Greenland’s parliament have recently reiterated their opposition to joining the United States.

The UK and Germany are reportedly considering a proposal within the Alliance to launch a dedicated NATO mission in Greenland, aimed at safeguarding both its autonomy and its security.

Much now depends on Washington’s broader stance towards NATO under Trump. For European allies, the hope rests on the president’s repeated assurances of his appreciation for Denmark and on the Alliance’s ability to keep Arctic tensions from boiling over.

Image credit: NATO + Country Flag by NATO (CC BY 4.0), via Flickr — https://www.flickr.com/photos/nato/29945695754