According to a report by The Standard, senior defence officials are said to be sketching out early plans for a potential NATO-led operation that could see troops, naval vessels and aircraft positioned to secure Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
The United Kingdom has opened discussions with key European allies on the possibility of deploying a multinational military force to Greenland, a move intended to discourage US president Donald Trump from pursuing his long-standing ambition to bring the Arctic island under American control.
According to a report by The Standard, senior defence officials are said to be sketching out early plans for a potential NATO-led operation that could see troops, naval vessels and aircraft positioned to secure Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
The focus of the proposal, the report noted, is to strengthen Arctic security against perceived threats from Russia and China while easing tensions triggered by Trump’s rhetoric.
According to reports, British officials have recently consulted counterparts in France and Germany as ideas around the mission begin to take shape
Although still at a preliminary stage, the discussions are aimed at offering Trump a political off-ramp by demonstrating that European allies are prepared to take on a greater share of the security burden in the High North.
European governments believe that a visible increase in allied military presence could allow Trump to frame the outcome as a win for Washington, arguing that US partners are stepping up their commitments, without the need for a dramatic and destabilising attempt to annex Greenland.
Trump has repeatedly refused to rule out the use of force to secure the vast Arctic territory, arguing that the United States cannot afford to allow Russia or China to gain influence so close to North America.
“We’re not going to have Russia or China as a neighbour,” he has said, while also pointing to Greenland’s abundance of strategic resources such as rare earth minerals, copper and nickel.
UK government sources say Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer views the evolving security landscape in the Arctic with deep concern and agrees that allied action is necessary. One official said Britain shared Trump’s assessment that Russian activity in the region must be checked, stressing that discussions within NATO on reinforcing Arctic defences are ongoing.
“The UK is working closely with allies to strengthen deterrence and defence in the Arctic,” the source said, adding that any future operation would be carried out in line with national interests and collective security commitments.
Trump’s earlier remarks have gone as far as suggesting financial incentives for Greenland’s roughly 30,000 residents to align with the US, while warning that Washington would act “whether they like it or not.”
His stance has unsettled NATO partners and fuelled fears of a serious rift within the 75-year-old alliance.
In response, European nations are exploring ways to head off a crisis by offering to station allied forces on the island. The idea was reportedly raised at a recent NATO meeting in Brussels, where military planners were tasked with examining options to improve security across the Arctic.
These could range from a full-scale deployment to enhanced military exercises, intelligence cooperation and redirected defence spending.
Any such mission would likely fall under NATO command and operate separately from existing deployments in Eastern Europe. British defence officials have confirmed that the UK armed forces are already gearing up for a broader Arctic role, with Royal Marines and Royal Navy assets taking part in cold-weather exercises in Norway, Finland and Sweden.
Meanwhile, the European Union is said to be weighing possible retaliatory measures should Trump reject a NATO-backed approach, including sanctions targeting major US technology firms and financial institutions. More extreme scenarios under discussion reportedly include restricting US access to military bases in Europe.
Diplomatic efforts are also continuing. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet Danish officials next week, with European leaders hoping he can temper Trump’s position. Analysts suggest Trump’s hardline posture may be part of a familiar negotiating tactic designed to extract concessions rather than a fixed plan to seize the territory.
Justin Crump, head of risk consultancy Sibylline, said the former president appeared to be testing Europe’s unity over Greenland, adding that a NATO deployment could expose whether security concerns are truly driving his interest.
The debate comes amid fresh warnings about Britain’s own military readiness. Former RAF chief Air Marshal Edward Stringer has cautioned that the UK’s ability to sustain combat operations in the Arctic is overstated, arguing that the gap between perceived strength and real capability has become dangerously wide.
In a recent report, he said the era of relying on US military dominance is ending, forcing NATO members to confront uncomfortable realities about their own defences.
A Foreign Office spokesperson reiterated that the UK remains committed to working with NATO partners to bolster deterrence and defence in the Arctic region.