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France Sends First Troops to Greenland for Denmark-Led Arctic Mission as Russia Objects

European deployments under Denmark’s lead have prompted a Russian warning of accelerated militarization.

Overview

  • About 15 French mountain specialists arrived in Nuuk for Operation Arctic Endurance, with President Emmanuel Macron saying the force will soon be reinforced by land, air and maritime assets.
  • Denmark’s mission is drawing wider European involvement, with the Netherlands assigning a naval officer and Finland dispatching two liaison officers to scope training activities.
  • Russia’s embassy in Belgium said it is “seriously concerned,” accusing NATO of fast-tracking a military build-up in the Arctic under a false pretext of threats from Moscow and Beijing.
  • Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized Europe’s handling of the Greenland dispute and likened Western positions to earlier precedents on sovereignty.
  • President Donald Trump asserted that the United States needs Greenland for national security, following a Washington meeting with Denmark’s and Greenland’s top diplomats.