UK steps up military presence in Greenland over security concerns

WorldPolitics
15 Jan 2026 • 12:08 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • The UK has dispatched a military officer to Greenland, aligning with Denmark's intensified military presence across the Arctic and High North.
  • This deployment is part of a joint operation involving several allied countries, prompted by renewed security concerns and calls from President Donald Trump for the US to assume control of Greenland.
  • Germany, Sweden, Norway, and France are also sending personnel to the joint mission, which aims to bolster regional security and deter Russian aggression and Chinese activity.
  • Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has discussed Arctic security with Mr Trump, the Danish prime minister, and the Nato secretary-general, while Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper pledged to step up Arctic defences.
  • Danish officials have agreed to create a working group with US representatives, despite a fundamental disagreement over a proposed American takeover of the territory.

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