After US President Donald J. Trump unleashed heavy pressure on Denmark for the control of the semi-autonomous territory of Greenland, its authorities were reported to be in ‘full crisis mode,’ and a flurry of activity followed.
The Nordic country said yesterday (27) that it would spend around $2.05 billion in beefing-up the military presence in the Arctic.
Reuters reported:
“This month, Trump said Greenland is vital to U.S. security and Denmark must give up control of the strategically important Arctic island.
Following more than a decade of drastic cuts in defense spending, last year Denmark allocated 190 billion Danish crowns ($26 billion) for its military over a 10-year span, part of which has now been allocated to the Arctic.”
Denmark has very limited military capabilities on the vast Artic island, which has reportedly been viewed as a ‘security black hole’.
“At present, Denmark’s capacities include four ageing inspection vessels, a Challenger surveillance plane and 12 dog sled patrols, all tasked with monitoring an area four times the size of France.
The deal includes funding three new Arctic navy vessels doubling the number of planned long-range surveillance drones to four, as well as satellite surveillance, Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said at a press conference.”
The U.S. military continues to have a permanent presence at the Pituffik Space Base in north Greenland, a ballistic missile early-warning system to cover what is the shortest route from Europe to North America runs via the island.
This new military announcement comes after Danish PM Mette Frederiksen gathered the Nordic leaders for a dinner in her house during the weekend.
Attending were Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson, the Premier of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
The four leaders professed to be united on defense issues, as the Kingdom of Denmark still reels from Trump’s overtures to take over Greenland.
AFP reported:
“Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she met regional counterparts on Sunday to discuss defense and security and they all ‘shared the gravity of the situation’, without mentioning the autonomous Danish territory by name.
’The Nordic countries have always stood together’, Frederiksen wrote on social media on Sunday evening, posting a photograph of her hosting a dinner in her home with the leaders of Finland, Norway and Sweden.
‘And faced with the new and more unpredictable reality that lies ahead, close and good alliances and friendships are increasingly important’.”
After the convo with the Nordic leaders, PM Frederiksen embarked on a support tour of European capitals today (28).
Associated Press reported:
“Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen planned stops in Berlin, Paris and Brussels, the latter to meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Her trip comes as new U.S. President Donald Trump has said he would not rule out the use of military force to seize control of Greenland, an autonomous territory belonging to NATO and European Union member Denmark.
[…] Frederiksen didn’t directly mention Trump’s threat in comments at a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, but she said that ‘we are facing a more uncertain reality, a reality that calls for an even more united Europe and for more cooperation’.”
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