The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said Greenland\u2019s defence was a \u201ccommon concern\u201d for the whole of Nato, as troops started arriving from across Europe as a result of Donald Trump\u2019s threats to take the Arctic island by force.<\/p>\n
Troops from France, Germany, Norway and Sweden, among others, were on their way to Greenland<\/a>, a largely autonomous territory of the kingdom of Denmark, on Thursday. Denmark also announced it would be increasing its military presence.<\/p>\n It comes after a difficult meeting<\/a> in Washington on Wednesday between the foreign ministers of Greenland and Denmark, Vivian Motzfeldt and Lars L\u00f8kke Rasmussen, and the US vice-president, JD Vance, and secretary of state, Marco Rubio.<\/p>\n Denmark will also be strengthening its military presence in Greenland, the prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, says. Photograph: Kristian Tuxen Ladegaard Berg\/NurPhoto\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n The visit was intended to smooth relations between Denmark and Greenland and the US, but it did not appear to have had the desired effect. Afterwards, Trump reiterated<\/a> his previous comments that the US \u201cneeds\u201d Greenland for national security, adding that Denmark could not be relied on to protect the island and that \u201csomething will work out\u201d.<\/p>\n In a statement released on Thursday, Frederiksen said it was \u201cnot an easy meeting\u201d and that a working group was now being set up to discuss how Arctic security could be improved.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, that does not change the fact that there is a fundamental disagreement because the American ambition to take over Greenland is intact,\u201d she added. \u201cThis is obviously serious and therefore we continue our efforts to prevent that scenario from becoming a reality.\u201d<\/p>\n There was, she said, agreement within Nato that \u201ca strengthened presence in the Arctic is crucial for European and North American security\u201d.<\/p>\n She added that Denmark<\/a> had \u201cinvested significantly in new Arctic capabilities\u201d, while \u201ca number of allies\u201d were taking part in joint exercises \u201cin and around\u201d Greenland.<\/p>\n \u201cThe defence and protection of Greenland is a common concern for the entire Nato<\/a> alliance,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n