British troops could soon be sent to Greenland after Donald Trump’s series of threats to take over the island.
Downing Street is holding discussions with European partners about stationing personnel in the Arctic territory.
Defence planners are developing proposals for a potential Nato mission on the island – which Mr Trump has long eyed up for the States.
British officials have recently met with German and French counterparts to begin preparations.
Though plans remain at an early stage, British troops, naval vessels and aircraft could deployed to help protect the territory from Russian and Chinese threats.
“We share President Trump’s view – Russia’s growing aggression in the High North must be deterred, and Euro-Atlantic security strengthened,” a Government source told The Telegraph.
European nations hope that boosting their Arctic presence would convince Mr Trump to drop his plans to annex Greenland.
The US President has not ruled out using military force to take over the island, vowing: “We are going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not.”
He has also floated paying each of the island’s 30,000 residents up to $100,000 to switch allegiance to the Stars and Bars.
PICTURED: Royal Marines Commandos in the Arctic. Defence planners are developing proposals for a potential Nato mission in Greenland
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ROYAL NAVY
Mr Trump has justified his demands by warning that Moscow or Beijing could seize the territory. “We’re not going to have Russia or China as a neighbour,” he vowed.
But Justin Crump, the chief executive of risk analysis firm Sibylline, he was “likely weighing the unity and resolve of European nations” over Greenland.
Mr Crump said allies could “call Trump’s bluff” by proposing a Nato force in Greenland – suggesting security is not the real reason for wanting the island.
Greenland contains valuable natural resources including copper, nickel and rare earth minerals.
Nato allies discussed the proposal at a Brussels meeting on Thursday.
PICTURED: Donald Trump’s private jet touches down in Greenlandic capital Nuuk. Mr Trump has long eyed up taking over the territory
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REUTERS
Showdown in the High North: Why is Greenland strategically important?
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GB NEWSMembers asked the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe to assess what additional measures could secure the Arctic region.
The operation could range from full troop deployments to time-limited exercises, intelligence-sharing and redirected defence spending.
Any mission would likely operate under a Nato banner, separate from existing Baltic and Polish operations.
The European Union is also said to be preparing sanctions against American companies should Mr Trump reject Nato’s offer.
Tech firms like Meta, Google, Microsoft and X could face restrictions in the EU, alongside American banks and financial institutions.
The EU could sanction American companies should Mr Trump reject Nato’s offer of boots on the ground
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GETTYDespite Britain’s close ties with northern Europe through the Joint Expeditionary Force, one former RAF chief has cast doubt on Britain’s capacity to defend the High North.
Air Marshal Edward Stringer warned that the UK’s defences had become “a flimsy facade” in a chilling report for Policy Exchange.
He said no single British military formation could right now independently sustain itself in combat.
“Now the USA is signalling strongly that it is putting ‘America First’… The rest of Nato will have to look after its own defences,” he wrote.
“The ‘Say-Do’ gap between the image of ourselves we have come to believe, and the reality of the hard power we can project in practice, is stark.”
