France has begun sending soldiers to Greenland to join a Danish military exercise, as a show of solidarity with Denmark amid US interests in the island. The first operators have already arrived for reconnaissance missions. Emmanuel Macron is expected to detail the deployment during his vows to the armed forces on Thursday.
France is taking part in a European military mission to Greenland, confirming information from Le Monde. «The first operators have already arrived on site», a military source told Le Figaro. These soldiers, from mountain troops trained for extreme conditions, are conducting reconnaissance and will be joined by others in the coming days. Thirteen French soldiers have been sent, according to the German Defense Ministry. The exercise, organized by the Danish army and named «Arctic Endurance», also includes Germany, Sweden, and Norway.
This deployment comes amid tensions with the United States, where Donald Trump reiterates that America «needs Greenland» for its security to prevent Russia or China from occupying it. During a White House meeting on Wednesday, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen described the talks with US officials as a «fundamental disagreement», noting that Trump wants to seize the island. The Danish government has announced it will strengthen its military presence on the island, in cooperation with NATO allies.
Emmanuel Macron warned in the Council of Ministers of «cascade consequences» if the sovereignty of an allied country were affected. «France is following the situation with the greatest attention and will inscribe its action in full solidarity with Denmark and its sovereignty», he stated, according to government spokesperson Maud Bregeon. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, reaffirmed that «Greenland belongs to its inhabitants» and that Greenlanders can count on the EU.
An emergency Defense Council was convened for Thursday morning at the Élysée on this situation and that in Iran. France has been interested in the Arctic region for several years, with a new strategy published in July, in the face of the Russian threat. The US military already has a base at Pituffik with about 150 soldiers for space surveillance.
