PARIS \u2014 NATO kicked off operation Arctic Sentry to bolster the alliance\u2019s posture in the high north, after weeks of deliberations by allies how to address claims by U.S. President Donald Trump that security threats in the region require the United States to take control of Greenland.<\/p>\n
The operation will tie together various allied activities in the region, including Denmark\u2019s Arctic Endurance exercises, NATO said in a statement on Wednesday<\/a>. Denmark stepped up its military presence in Greenland and invited allies including France and the United Kingdom to join after Trump escalated threats to take over the Danish territory.<\/p>\n NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and NATO\u2019s military commander for Europe have warned of growing threats<\/a> in the Arctic and high north from Russia and China, though Denmark has said there are no Chinese vessels near Greenland. As polar ice melts due to climate change, the Arctic is becoming more accessible, raising concerns Russia will increasingly challenge NATO in the region.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we are assessing is that there is a real threat\u201d as sea lanes open up, Rutte said at a press conference in Brussels ahead of a meeting of NATO defense ministers on Thursday. \u201cThere is every need to make sure that we protect this vital part of NATO territory.\u201d<\/p>\n Arctic Sentry will be led by Joint Forces Command Norfolk and overseen by Allied Command Operations, NATO said. The operation follows a meeting between Trump and Rutte in Davos, Switzerland, in January, where the two agreed the alliance should collectively take more responsibility for defense of the region, according to NATO.<\/p>\n