The UK is in talks with European allies about deploying NATO-backed military forces to Greenland to protect it from Russia and China.
British officials held meetings with other countries, including France and Germany, to consider early-stage plans for a possible NATO mission. The proposal could involve troops, warships, and aircraft being sent to Greenland to strengthen security there.
European governments hope that increasing their military presence would convince Trump to abandon his stated ambition to annex the mineral-rich island.
Trump has argued that Greenland must be protected from Russian or Chinese influence and said he would not rule out using military force to achieve that.
Sources inside the UK government told The Telegraph, “We share President Trump’s view—Russia’s growing aggression in the High North must be deterred, and Euro-Atlantic security strengthened,” and said PM Keir Starmer takes the threat from Chinese and Russian influence in the region “extremely seriously.”
The plans were discussed at a NATO meeting in Brussels, where alliance members asked military planners to assess how Arctic security could be reinforced. Any deployment would likely operate under NATO’s command and be separate from existing missions in Eastern Europe.
UK officials said Britain already plays a growing role in Arctic defense through NATO exercises while stressing that discussions remain at a preliminary stage.
Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark—with extensive self-government under the 2009 Self-Government Act—while Denmark (an EU and NATO member) retains responsibility for its foreign affairs and defense. All major political parties in Greenland support eventual independence, though opinions differ on timing and conditions, and the island remains firmly part of the Kingdom of Denmark.