DONALD Trump has claimed to be the saviour of NATO amid plans for a joint “Arctic Sentry” mission to protect Greenland.
Britain, France and Germany are all believed to be backing the operation – which would involve US forces – to boost security in the Arctic after the US President claimed, without evidence, that it is plagued with Russian and Chinese submarines.
Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz spoke about the proposal in a video call on Friday, and today NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called the Arctic a “priority”.
Yet, this did not seem to soothe Trump who lashed out on his social media platform, Truth Social, today: “I’m the one who SAVED NATO!!! President DJT.”
While the US President did not point to the source of his fury, this comes as more details about the mission have been revealed.
“Arctic Sentry” would be modelled off of NATO’s “Baltic Sentry” – a mission to guard undersea pipelines from sabotage – and “Eastern Sentry” – aimed at protecting territory along the Eastern Flank.
Both operations combine forces from multiple nations, deploying drones, sensors and other technology to monitor land and sea, as Vladimir Putin continues with his war rhetoric against the alliance.
Still in its early stages, “Arctic Sentry” could see the deployment of British soldiers to the territory of Greenland, part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Belgium’s defence minister, Theo Francken, said in a phone interview on Sunday that there is a need for “a NATO operation in the high north”.
“We have to collaborate, work together and show strength and unity,” he added, hinting at the possible fracture of the military alliance that has existed for 76 years, as of this month.
He also acknowledged Greenland’s strategic importance but warned that “we need to sort this out like friends and allies, like we always do”.
Trump has said the US must occupy Greenland to prevent Russia or China from attacking it.
He says a US military presence on the 836,000 square mile island is simply not enough, and is still to rule out invading it and taking it by force.
Yet, some experts have pointed out that the Arctic territory’s minerals are what he is really after.
European leaders still appear to be tiptoeing around Trump, particularly after the US airstrikes on Venezuela in the first week of January.
But a similar move from Trump could throw the mere existence of NATO into the abyss.
The European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, warned that a US military takeover would be the end of NATO.
Four ways Trump could take Greenland
By Harvey Geh, Foreign News Reporter
HERE are four ways Donald Trump could take over Greenland:
- Invade: Trump would have little issue using the world’s strongest military to annex a poorly defended target such as Greenland. Denmark may even surrender before a fight takes place to avoid the risk of a full-blown Nato collapse. But any attack could still fall victim to a string of problems, including extreme weather conditions and long supply lines.
- Coercion: The threat of military intervention itself could be enough to force Copenhagen’s hand and pass over the crucial island. But aside from looming threats, Trump could purchase Greenland directly from the Danes. Previous US administrations have tried this at least three times in the past, with the first instance dating back to 1867.
- Free Association: Washington is reportedly already working on a plan to sign a “compact of free association” with Greenland. This deal would mirror current arrangements the US has with countries like Palau, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands. In these relationships, the US military have free rein in these territories in exchange for duty-free trade. But if such a deal were to take place, Greenland would have to cede from Denmark and gain independence first.
- Prolong the status quo: With Denmark and Trump both vying to have their own influence, Greenland could seek benefits from both without actually gaining independence or submitting to the US. If Washington settled for a bolstered military presence and mineral-mining contracts on the island, they could lay off further plans to annex it entirely.
He said: “It will be a very big challenge to be ready to defend Europe, being independent, being without the United States.
“The question would be how we can use in that case NATO structures, how they can be, you know, become a basis for European pillar of NATO.
“But NATO such as it is now definitely will not exist anymore.”
Kubilius also stressed that this would have a “very deep negative impact among the people and on our transatlantic relations”.
If Denmark requested it, he said that the EU could provide more security for Greenland, including troops and military infrastructure such as warships and anti-drone capabilities.
German Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor, Lars Klingbeil, also warned that rifts between the US and Europe are widening, in reference to Trump’s threats.
“We increase security in the Arctic together as NATO allies, not in opposition to one another,” the politician said on Sunday.
Denmark and the US, both Nato members, are scheduled to meet this week to discuss the future of Greenland and its 57,000 residents.
Still, Greenland and Denmark have said that the territory is not for sale.
Russia – which sees Nato and its expansion in Europe as one of the biggest threats – is only benefiting from the disarray within the alliance.
One of Putin’s chief propagandists, Vladimir Solovyov, even suggested that Russia and the US join forces to launch an invasion of Greenland.
The Russian TV presenter told his viewers: “We have entered extremely turbulent times. Trump is preparing for a major war.
“And for us, this is very beneficial if it means war with Europe.”