ALBAWABA- French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France is sending military forces to Greenland to participate in Operation Arctic Endurance, a joint exercise with Denmark, in response to escalating U.S. threats to seize the Arctic territory.
Macron stated on X that the deployment, requested by Denmark, has already begun with about 15 mountain infantry soldiers, and will soon be reinforced with land, air, and naval assets to safeguard European interests.
He described the move as a stand against “forces of destabilization” and a warning that global peace is under threat, emphasizing that Europe faces “adversaries it never imagined.”
Macron framed the initiative as transforming “French conviction into European evidence,” underscoring Europe’s strategic autonomy. Germany, Norway, and Sweden are joining the exercises, portraying a unified European front to secure the Arctic without U.S. dominance.
The deployment comes after U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened to annex Greenland, citing its mineral resources and strategic location, and warning he would act “by force if necessary.”
A January 14 White House meeting between Danish and Greenlandic officials with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted a “fundamental disagreement” over the island’s future, with Denmark firmly rejecting any transfer of sovereignty.
The confrontation has intensified strains within NATO, as critics warn that Trump’s unilateral and aggressive actions, including the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in December 2025 and backing Israeli strikes on Iran, undermine alliance cohesion.
European nations, facing what they see as unreliable U.S. leadership, are increasingly pursuing independent defense measures and multilateral cooperation to safeguard regional and global security amid growing geopolitical tensions.
