Name: Germany sends troops to Greenland for symbolic NATO mission
Uploaded: 2026-01-16T23:36:17.222Z
Duration: 3 min 20 s
Description: Germany is joining France, Sweden, Finland, Norway and the Netherlands in a largely symbolic mission to the Arctic. 15 Bundeswehr soldiers are expected to arrive in the Greenlandic capital Nuuk.

Germany is joining France, Sweden, Finland, Norway and the Netherlands in a largely symbolic mission to the Arctic. 15 Bundeswehr soldiers are expected to arrive in the Greenlandic capital Nuuk.

Nuuk

Germany has sent troops to Greenland to participate in a NATO-led mission called Arctic Endurance, focusing on maritime surveillance around Greenland's capital. Other participating countries include France, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and the Netherlands, while the United States is not involved in this mission. The deployment is described as symbolic, aiming to demonstrate European unity and readiness to defend security interests in the Arctic, a region of growing strategic importance due to increased activity by Russia and China.

The mission has received support from governing parties in Germany but has faced criticism from opposition groups, who question its effectiveness and transparency. The German government has also voiced opposition to US territorial claims over Greenland, emphasizing the importance of continued diplomatic dialogue with the United States to maintain stability in the region.

Germany sends troops to Greenland for 'symbolic' NATO mission

The German soldiers are primarily tasked with examining the possibilities for maritime surveillance, especially around Greenland's capital. NATO countries France, Sweden, Finland, Norway and the Netherlands are also participating in the mission called Arctic Endurance. Not involved this time, the US. Crisis talks between Washington, Denmark and Greenland recently failed to produce any concrete agreement. US President Donald Trump is sticking to his plans to bring the Arctic island under his control, citing alleged threats from Russia and China as justification. These threats are also clearly recognised by NATO and Germany. The Arctic, once a blank spot on the strategic map, is now the stage for global power claims. Russia and China in particular are becoming increasingly assertive here. We must and will intensify our efforts in the far north and the Arctic. The reconnaissance mission receives support primarily from the governing parties. It is, of course, for now a symbolic mission, but it sends a strong signal of European unity, showing that we're prepared to stand up for our own security interests, that we're able to do so, that we can very quickly and concretely develop and deploy our capabilities. Germany could provide concrete assistance in the Arctic. We are very good at maritime surveillance, both underwater and above water, in terms of situation assessment, and we have capabilities that we can make available for this purpose. Criticism of the deployment comes from the opposition. The small reconnaissance team has no military effect and, in my view, only very limited political benefit. So far, I cannot discern any objective on the part of the federal government. The left considers the deployment of the German armed forces to be problematic, saying that calling it an exploration is deceptive. They point out that the German armed forces have participated in a total of 40 exercises in the Arctic since the beginning of 2024, most recently in September as part of a NATO exercise in Greenland. Pretending that you don't know the region is obviously not true. What is needed now is for Germany to bring its political, diplomatic and economic weight into play in Washington to make it clear that Trump's annexation plans, which are completely insane, must be stopped. The German government has criticized the U.S. government's territorial claims. However, after meeting his U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio in Washington, Germany's foreign minister Wadephul emphasized the importance of continued dialogue. I can only encourage everyone in Germany and indeed in Europe as a whole to continue working on this relationship. As with all relationships, you have to work at them and you have to be committed to them. And if you do that, then you have a good chance of them remaining stable and having a good future. For more UN videos visit www.un.org

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