A service member of the Danish Armed Forces descends from a helicopter onto the frigate Niels Juel during joint Danish and French armed forces exercises off the coast of Nuuk, Greenland. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
As reported by AP
Denmark is conducting large-scale Arctic Light 2025 military exercises in Greenland with hundreds of service members from Denmark and NATO countries, including France, Germany, Sweden, and Norway. The maneuvers take place against a backdrop of tension related to statements by Donald Trump about the possible transfer of Greenland under U.S. jurisdiction, the news agency reports.
According to Danish forces, more than 550 service members are participating in the exercises. The event is a continuation of a series of maneuvers with similar names. The head of the Danish Joint Arctic Command emphasized caution regarding Russia as a regional great power and noted “very good” relations with U.S. forces.
Arctic Exercises and the Geopolitical Context
On September 15, Danish forces conducted a shipboard landing with the involvement of special units, under the supervision of military observers from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden, and Germany. Helicopters and fast boats operated at temperatures around freezing.
According to the program, the maneuvers also demonstrate joint readiness in the event of threats in the North Atlantic and the Arctic, with guests aboard the frigate Niels Juel and observers for the live-fire.
“At the end of 2024, Donald Trump said that control over the island is ‘an absolute necessity’ for the United States – for national security and freedom around the world.”
– Associated Press
Greenland remains at the center of geopolitical discussions: the world’s largest island, an autonomous territory of Denmark, has significant mineral resources and strategic facilities. Prime Minister Egede expresses support for greater autonomy and a move toward sovereignty, emphasizing the importance of cooperation with Europe and the United States in the defense sector.