Energy News Beat
French Foreign Affairs minister Jean-Noël Barrot has not ruled out sending European troops to Greenland “if our security interests are at risk,” he signalled in a radio interview on Tuesday.
Barrot told Sud Radio discussions were being held with Denmark on the deployment of EU troops in case a security risk arises he said, but ruled out any immediate action.
“At this point, it is not Denmark’s wish,” he said.
His statements come after Copenhagen announced a €2 billion investment on Monday to strengthen Arctic defense capabilities, including the addition of three new navy vessels.
On Tuesday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen held a spate of bilateral meetings, including with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin and President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. She also met with NATO chief Mark Rutte.
Greenland was not formally a discussion point between Macron and Frederiksen, though both were expected to address “European security and defense issues,” according to a press release.
Barrot said the Arctic had become “a new field of conflict” at risk of “foreign interference.”
“There is very strong solidarity from European countries and they are ready to think [about troops deployment] if it came to that,” he said.
On Saturday, the head of the EU’s military committee, Austrian General Robert Brieger, aired the possibility of posting European troops in Greenland.
Frederiksen, however, told reporters in Brussels on Tuesday she had “no reason to believe that there is a military threat to Greenland or Denmark.”
The Danish leader also emphasised “transatlantic cooperation is crucial to the safety and security of all of us, and I will do everything I can to maintain the alliance that has brought peace and stability” to all parties involves, she said.
Earlier on Tuesday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has also insisted “borders must not be moved by force.”
The Arctic island has become a source of severe contention between the EU and the US, as President Donald Trump threatened many a time to buy the territory, or else impose heavy tariffs. “I think we’re going to have it,” he told reporters over the weekend.
Greenland, the world’s largest island, is home to 56,000 inhabitants, primarily of Inuit ancestry. Greenlandic subsoil is rich in valuable resources such as rare earth metals, precious metals, gemstones, coal, graphite, lithium and uranium. However, the harsh climate and limited infrastructure make mining efforts costly and require long-term investment.
*Magnus Lund Nielsen contributed to this report
[AB]
We give you energy news and help invest in energy projects too, click here to learn more
Crude Oil, LNG, Jet Fuel price quote
ENB Top News
ENB
Energy Dashboard
ENB Podcast
ENB Substack
The post France mulls sending EU troops to Greenland appeared first on Energy News Beat.
