Dutch naval officer to help Greenland mission; “larger deployment” possible

The Dutch government is dispatching a navy officer to Greenland for a reconnaissance mission, Minister of Defense Ruben Brekelmans has said. The officer will join forces with other NATO partners to prepare for a military exercise in the Arctic.

Minister Brekelmans said on X that a bigger NATO role in the Arctic Sentry exercise could be the next step. “Further discussions will take place within NATO, and the Cabinet is supportive of this,” he added. “The reconnaissance mission aims to identify possibilities for a joint Arctic exercise. The results will guide the planning and detailed organization of the exercise.”

Germany, Norway, Sweden, and France have previously stated that they will deploy troops to the Danish island, which President Donald Trump has suggested should be under American control.

The proposal has sparked significant tensions within NATO. Denmark views American control of Greenland as a threat to the Atlantic alliance, while Greenland’s prime minister has affirmed a desire to stay under Danish sovereignty. Meetings in Washington between Danish and U.S. officials on Wednesday failed to reach an agreement.

Several European nations have either already deployed troops to Greenland or are sending them. Germany is dispatching a 13-member reconnaissance team on Thursday, the Bundeswehr announced, responding to a request from the Danish government.

The German soldiers are scheduled to stay until Saturday. Their mission includes assessing how they can assist Denmark “in maintaining regional security, such as through maritime surveillance capabilities.”

French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that France is deploying troops to Greenland at Denmark’s invitation for military exercises. The initial contingent has already arrived, with more units from the army, air force, and navy expected in the coming days.

The Dutch parliament is in favor of supporting Denmark in its dispute with the United States. A strong majority endorsed a motion from CDA MP Derk Boswijk, urging the government to provide “political and diplomatic support to Denmark concerning Greenland’s status and position.”

Earlier this week, Minister David van Weel told parliament that a deployment to Greenland could help calm relations between the U.S. and European NATO partners.