The Joint Arctic Command base in Greenland, in Denmark, is not concerned with the U.S. military threats; it is concerned with potential Russian activity, its head, Major General Soren Andersen, said on Friday as a fresh wave of concern over the value of the Arctic region drew attention.
In numerous statements, U.S. President Donald Trump has categorized Greenland as crucial to U.S. security and even denies the possibility of using force to seize control of the expansive autonomous Arctic Island, which belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark.
“I am not targeting the U.S. at all. I am interested in Russia,” Andersen replied to Reuters in a Danish warship in the Greenland capital, Nuuk.
Andersen ruled out the speculation of a clash between NATO allies, claiming that this would be hypothetical.
“I would not see a NATO partner assaulting another NATO partner,” he said. “According to the defence plans of Denmark, he said, we work on them, and it is normal that we do. I am to go up here and guard the kingdom along with NATO.”
European countries also sent a few military personnel to Greenland this week in response to U.S. fears over the Arctic Endurance NATO military exercise.
The U.S has been invited to Arctic Endurance by the Arctic Command, which this year will put the forces to the test in the winter season.
The meeting with the NATO partners and the U.S. took place today, and Andersen invited them to be a part of this exercise, not mentioning that he did not know yet whether the U.S. would be a part of it too. In September, Denmark had not asked the Americans to participate in a similar exercise.
The Joint Arctic Command, which is in charge of defence in the areas of Greenland and the Faroe Islands in Denmark, performs surveillance and search-and-rescue operations, using patrol ships, aircraft, helicopters, and satellite technology. It also maintains the long-range Arctic Sirius dog-sled patrol.
Andersen reported that there were no Chinese or Russian vessels in or around Greenland, but he reported that a Russian research ship was within 310 nautical miles of the island. “That,” he said, “was the nearest, and NATO allies are keeping a good picture of the situation up here.”
Andersen said that they actually expect more Russian actions in the coming years, and, in this regard, they must begin training and increase their presence here in the Arctic to defend the northern border of NATO.
In 2022, Denmark increased its defence budget to 42 billion Danish crowns (6.54 billion) in response to the increasing security concerns in the Arctic.
Andersen stressed that cooperation with U.S. military personnel is quite common. His last visit was with the commander of the U.S. NORTHCOM, the commander of Alaska Command, and a visit to the U.S. Pituffik base, Greenland, and plans additional meetings later this month.
