European troops arrive in Greenland to boost the Arctic island's security

[ihaveaquestion]

Source: NPR

NUUK, Greenland — Troops from several European countries, including France, Germany, Norway and Sweden, are arriving in Greenland to help boost the Arctic island's security after talks between representatives of Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. on Wednesday highlighted "fundamental disagreement" between the Trump administration and European allies.

These maps show two different approaches to depicting Greenland. The left map is an orthographic projection, emulating a globe. The right map is a Mercator projection, which exaggerates the sizes of landmasses — including Greenland — that are closest to the poles.
World

"The first French military elements are already en route" and "others will follow," French President Emmanuel Macron announced Wednesday, as French authorities said about 15 French soldiers from the mountain infantry unit were already in Nuuk for a military exercise.

Germany will deploy a reconnaissance team of 13 personnel to Greenland on Thursday, its Defense Ministry said.

Denmark announced it would increase its military presence in Greenland, with NATO allies joining them, just as the Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers met with White House representatives on Wednesday in Washington to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump's intentions to take over the island in order to tap its mineral resources and protect the security of the Arctic region amid rising Russian and Chinese interest.

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2026/01/15/g-s1-106113/european-troops-arrive-greenland?utm_sf_post_ref=652163432&utm_medium=social&utm_term=nprnews&utm_sf_cserv_ref=did%3Aplc%3Aln72v57ivz2g46uqf4xxqiuh&utm_campaign=npr&utm_source=bsky.app

---

Troops from several European countries, including France, Germany, Norway and Sweden, are arriving in Greenland after talks between Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. on Wednesday highlighted disagreement. n.pr/4b0vnFP

— NPR (@npr.org) 2026-01-15T17:23:34.893809Z

[Tasmanian Devil]

1. Good news

It's nice to see our (former) allies closing ranks and supporting each other in the face of naked threats from a madman.

[cstanleytech]

3. They are not 'Trump's' allies but they are still 'our' allies.

[Fiendish Thingy]

2. This is what is known as a "NATO tripwire"

A small, nominal force of troops from multiple NATO nations, that if attacked, would unambiguously trigger article 5, and instantly put the attacker at war with 31 NATO nations.

This same strategy is used to deter Putin in the Baltics.

[OC375]

4. Will it matter?

When Putin rolls into Europe, I’m guessing there will be larger priorities. Trump will take Greenland as a buffer to the newly raging war in Europe. Sure, we’ll be at war with NATO, but can NATO hold 2 fronts, especially when we were once part of NATO?

[poli-junkie]

7. Isn't the Russian military spent?

[OC375]

8. Probably depends on how one defines spent in this context

I have no idea. "Taking" Europe wouldn't be possible without resorting to worse than they've done in Ukraine. I'm sure they can be as craven as anyone in history has been.

[orangecrush]

9. Doesn't France have nukes?

[Fiendish Thingy]

11. France and the UK both are nuclear powers. Nt

[orangecrush]

13. Thank you

[OC375]

14. Everybody, who's anybody, has got nukes.

Cynicism on my part aside, it doesn't seem to be the deterrence it once was.

[orangecrush]

19. Must make a difference to someone

Didn't we just bomb Iran for that reason?

[OGBuzz]

18. Russia already has its hands full with Ukraine.

I hope and pray it never comes to it but the European Union has a population of 450 million and a GDP of 28 trillion, Russia has a population of 145 million and a GDP of 2 trillion. Russia has never faced the full force of modern western weapons.
If it was limited to conventional warfare I don't think it would be much of a fight. Russian soldiers are currently too busy running around the Ukrainian countryside trying to avoid FPV drones, and Putin is already having to conscript 50 and 60 year olds, and borrowing cannon fodder from N. Korea. Ukraine produces between 4 and 5 million FPV's per year and they rarely miss their target.

[Fiendish Thingy]

10. You think Putin will invade the Baltics at the same time Trump invades Greenland?

I have seen no evidence of this - Putin can barely supply enough convicts to feed the meat grinder in Ukraine.

You seem to forget that if Trump invades Greenland, the EU can retaliate by selling off trillions in treasury bonds, crashing the dollar and triggering hyperinflation in the US. Tesla, Amazon, Apple, McDonald’s, etc banned from doing business in the EU, US troops stationed on EU soil become instant POW’s.

CEO’s would March on the White House with torches and pitchforks.

Invading Greenland is likely the only thing Trump could do that would motivate enough republicans in congress to support his impeachment and removal.

[OC375]

15. No

I think it will be a frog in the boil pot, but over months, not years now. I think Europe will have troubles with Putin before Trump goes all in on Greenland, and once Europe is otherwise occupied Trump will move in on Greenland, further, to ostensibly secure it as a buffer to European troubles he helped create.

I don't think Trump cares if half of NATO bases there, for the time being, because he believes they will mostly be leaving soon. Putin takes things in bites, anyway, not chunks. He'll take one or two states or regions and consolidate, pause, take a vacation, and then repeat in 5 years (if he's even alive) as he has done before. Someone else is eyeing his job already, I'm sure...

Putin just needs to play dirty - all those things he hasn't done, where we say "If he blows up Chernobyl, it's war." or "If he gasses the city of ***, it would be war." is sort of the point... He doesn't need a standard war, just an incident to lead to a war stance. Cut off natural gas, cyber attacks, COVID,... don't think so Blitzkrieg. He knows Europe wants peace, so he has carrots, too.

Republicans will support it all if they feel they have no other way out that is acceptable to them, not us. Admitting they were wrong about... well, everything... that they perpetuated it, and that some may possibly be going to prison or losing their wealth and influence... probably isn't something they feel is a better alternative to other people's kids fighting somewhere else, IMHO.

[Fiendish Thingy]

16. Sorry, I don't see any evidence of that happening

Or that Putin has the capacity to make it happen.

[OC375]

17. Hope You're Right

[MervinFerd]

20. Russia is economically backward--except for nukes.

Russia's economy is very weak; their population is declining; and their military has been unable to defeat Ukraine--and lost substantial resources.

Their only claim to power is their arsenal of Nukes, left over from Soviet days.

There is little doubt the combined forces of Europe could handle Russia.

[ihaveaquestion]

21. NATO troops are no slouches.

Danish soldiers, in particular, are very professional and capable. I doubt they'll have too much trouble repelling anything less than a massive invasion by the US.

[OC375]

23. I have no doubt of that

[SamKnause]

5. Thank you to all the troops and countries for sending them !!!

[liberalgunwilltravel]

6. Can NATO please

Send troops here to protect American citizens?

[gfarber]

12. 25th

Our NATO allies looked on in dismay,
As a partner went strangely astray;
Once steady and true,
Now erratic in view,
Led by bluster that rattled their way.

From Denmark to Greenland they sent,
A few soldiers with drills well-meant;
To reassure, it seemed,
A president’s dream,
That an island might soon be “acquired” by intent.

At a meeting kept civil and bland,
No tables were flipped, no demand;
Yet beneath polite talk,
Ran a dangerous walk,
For the fix was not close at hand.

Said Frederiksen, firm but polite,
“This dispute isn’t fading from sight;
The ambition stands fast,
And it’s deadly serious,” past
All illusions of diplomatic light.

So Germany, France, and the rest,
With Sweden and Norway abreast,
Sent planners to play,
For much larger displays,
Hoping drills might calm nerves at best.

All this for a tantrum-prone king,
With vast arms but not vast reasoning;
He’d flatten the field,
If the world would not yield,
To each petulant, bullying thing.

If Russia seeks NATO undone,
Not by tanks but by trust overrun,
One wonders aloud,
With the damage endowed:
Would an “asset” do more—or just one?

Trump bullies a friend, so goes French,
Like stealing the car you just lent;
Why borrow with grace,
When you can own the place,
And call greed “strategic intent”?

For morality, there’s no constraint,
Save whatever advances his want;
Power and gain,
Are the ends of the chain,
And the means barely register—can’t.

This is why the 25th amendment exists,
When a leader’s unmoored from the gist;
If courage remains,
Let it break through the chains,
Before alliance and order are missed.

[riversedge]

22. ..Leavitt said at a daily briefing that European troops' presence would not "impact the president's decision-making proc

European troops arrive in Greenland as Trump throws another curveball


Russia said NATO members were bolstering their military presences in the Arctic territory “under the false pretext of a growing threat from Moscow and Beijing.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/world/greenland/european-troops-arrive-greenland-trump-throws-curveball-rcna254166?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us




Jan. 15, 2026, 7:54 AM CST / Updated Jan. 15, 2026, 1:33 PM CST
By Yuliya Talmazan
............................


https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2/rockcms/2026-01/260115-nuuk-rs-c52e3c.jpg
APTOPIX Greenland Daily Life
Nuuk, Greenland, on Tuesday.Evgeniy Maloletka / AP

Small numbers of military personnel from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway and Sweden were arriving in the Arctic island early Thursday.

In an address on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron said his country would send further "land, air and sea assets" in the coming days.

Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said Thursday the intention was “to establish a more permanent military presence with a larger Danish contribution,” with soldiers from several NATO countries expected to be in Greenland on a rotating basis, according to Danish broadcaster DR.

But White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a daily briefing that European troops' presence would not "impact the president's decision-making process, nor does it impact his goal of the acquisition of Greenland at all." .........................

[flying rabbit]

24. Facts never affect our preznidents

decisions.

[myohmy2]

25. won't...

...invading/stealing Greenland and taking on NATO cost money, lots of money...?

...I don't see too many countries on our side willing to pitch in and help...

...do we have lots of money to piss away...?

...

[SheltieLover]

26. Good!!!!!