The Greenlandic Foreign Minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, stated this Saturday during a visit to Danish troops together with the Danish Defense Minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, that the military presence is the “new normal” for the island, in the context of the crisis caused by the US aspirations to annex the Arctic territory.
“It is important for the people of Greenland feel that we are not alone. That is why we are here today“Motzfeldt said during a visit to Danish soldiers protecting the Buksefjord hydroelectric plant, in statements reported by the newspaper Sermitsiaq.
The minister acknowledged that Some people may feel intimidated by the military presence and therefore pointed out the importance of dialogue with citizens, such as the one she and Poulsen are scheduled to hold in an event scheduled for this Saturday.
Contacts with the US
Regarding the meetings with the US, Motzfeldt indicated that the contacts held this week “went well.” “We have made it clear where our red lines are“he said, before thanking the soldiers for their presence on the island and observing some maneuvers.
For his part, Poulsen recalled that There is a “permanent presence” of Danish soldiers in Greenlandas has been the case “historically.”
“In autumn 2025 we decided here that we were going to have a greater military presence and I would also like to see more NATO allies present,” he said, according to the aforementioned newspaper.
Training
In a statement, the Danish Ministry of Defense reported on the occasion of the Poulsen’s visit to Greenland that the decision has been made to increase the places in the Basic Arctic Training program, which allows young Greenlanders to receive training from the Armed Forces to respond to security challenges and emergencies.
Furthermore, according to the note, the Danish Government and the Naalakkersuisut (the Greenlandic autonomous Executive) have reached an agreement to explore the possibility that the Air Greenland airline cooperates with the Danish Army in reconnaissance and rescue tasks in the Arctic.
