"The first group of French military personnel is already on the ground. Reinforcements, including naval, land, and air units, will arrive in the coming days", French President Emmanuel Macron stated today, addressing troops at the Istres air base near Marseille.

Macron affirmed that France and European nations must maintain a presence "wherever our interests are threatened and resolutely defend the principle of respecting territorial sovereignty", while also emphasizing the need to avoid escalating tensions. He added, "This is France's role when standing alongside a sovereign nation defending its territory."

French soldiers training on Greenland island in 9/2025. Photo: Reuters

On 14/1, France, Germany, Norway, and Sweden announced the deployment of soldiers to Nuuk, Greenland's capital, for reconnaissance and training missions. Germany's Defense Ministry indicated that several NATO member states are sending troops to Greenland "to explore security options against threats from Russia and China".

Russian officials subsequently expressed concern over NATO's deployment to Greenland island, asserting that the alliance is "using the pretext of a growing threat from Russia and China, which does not exist, to enhance its military presence in the Arctic region".

The deployment by some NATO members also occurs amidst ongoing tensions between Denmark and the United States regarding Greenland. Washington has repeatedly expressed its intent to control the island for security reasons and has not ruled out military measures.

On 14/1, Danish and Greenlandic diplomatic officials met US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington.

US President Donald Trump later expressed confidence that "everything will be fine", while also warning that "Denmark has no ability to do anything if Russia or China want to control Greenland."

Location of the US, Russia, and Greenland island. Graphics: Britannica

On 15/1, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced the formation of a task force to discuss ways to improve Arctic security.

"However, this does not change the fact that disagreements persist because the US maintains its ambition to control Greenland. This is clearly a serious issue, and we are continuing our efforts to prevent this scenario from becoming a reality", she stated.

Greenland, the world's largest island, is located near North America, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Ocean. The island is an autonomous territory of Denmark, with a population of 57,000 people and an area of approximately 2.16 million square kilometers, making it larger than Mexico and more than three times the size of the US state of Texas.

The island lies on the shortest route from North America to Europe, making it a crucial strategic location for Washington. Greenland also possesses abundant, largely untapped mineral resources.

Nguyen Tien (According to AFP, AP, Reuters)