A German Navy frigate set off on Tuesday to join NATO forces monitoring strategic passages in the North and Baltic Seas as well as the North Atlantic, amid increasing tensions between the US and Denmark over the control of Greenland.
The Saxony left the North Sea port of Wilhelmshaven in the afternoon with some 250 troops aboard the vessel, a spokeswoman for the navy said.
The ship is to join the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG 1), a maritime task force that consists of several destroyers and frigates deployed by different NATO allies as well as a supply vessel.
“The core mission of the Saxony in SNMG 1 will be to monitor and protect strategic maritime routes and critical infrastructure in the North Atlantic, North Sea and Baltic Sea,” Navy Commander Wolfgang Eckmüller was quoted as saying in a statement.
The ship set sail as tensions are soaring over renewed US threats to annex Greenland, a largely autonomous territory in the North Atlantic and the world’s largest island that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Copenhagen strongly rejects the claims and was backed by seven European leaders on Tuesday who expressed solidarity with Greenland.
“Greenland belongs to its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland,” the statement signed by the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Britain and Denmark said.
Last weekend, Trump claimed once again that the US needs Greenland for national security reasons, citing an increased presence of Chinese and Russian ships in the region.
A Sea Lynx 88A helicopter is about to set sail for a deployment lasting several months on board the frigate “Sachsen” (F 219) in the harbor at the naval base. The naval vessel will be part of the so-called Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, a NATO maritime task force, operating in the North and Baltic Seas as well as in the Atlantic. Hauke-Christian Dittrich/dpa
Members of the crew wave as the frigate “Sachsen” (F 219) leaves the port at the naval base for a deployment lasting several months. The naval vessel will be part of the so-called Standing Nato Maritime Group 1, a Nato maritime task force, operating in the North Sea, Baltic Sea and Atlantic. Hauke-Christian Dittrich/dpa