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NATO weighs Arctic security boost as Trump escalates Greenland claims

09 January 2026 08:49 (UTC +04:00)

NATO countries asked the alliance to beef up its presence in the Arctic after the U.S. ramped up threats to seize Greenland, three NATO diplomats told POLITICO, APA reports.

At a closed-door meeting in Brussels on Thursday, the alliance’s ambassadors agreed the organization should reinforce its Arctic flank, according to the diplomats, all of whom were granted anonymity to talk about the sensitive discussions, APA reports, citing

President Donald Trump has claimed the Danish territory is exposed to Russian and Chinese influence.

Envoys floated leveraging intelligence capabilities to better monitor the territory, stepping up defense spending to the Arctic, shifting more military equipment to the region, and holding more military exercises in the vicinity.

The flurry of ideas underscores a growing European concern about U.S. intentions on Greenland. This week, the White House ratcheted up its claims on Greenland and repeatedly refused to rule out a military takeover.

Europe is scrambling to placate the latest Trump threats and avoid a military intervention that Denmark has said would mean the end of the alliance. A compromise with the U.S. president is seen as the first and preferred option.