UK and Nato allies boosting Arctic defence as Trump ramps up Greenland pressure
The UK is working with Nato allies to bolster security in the Arctic, a Cabinet minister said following reports British troops could be sent to Greenland.
US President Donald Trump has insisted he wants control over Greenland and has not ruled out the prospect of using military force to seize the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said discussions about securing the High North against Russia and China were part of Nato’s “business as usual” rather than a response to the US military threat.
The Sunday Telegraph reported that military chiefs are drawing up plans for a possible Nato mission to Greenland which could involve British soldiers, warships and planes being deployed to the island.
But Ms Alexander told BBC One’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg the report “possibly reads something more into business as usual discussions amongst Nato allies than there actually are”.
She said the UK agreed with President Trump that the Arctic Circle “is becoming an increasingly contested part of the world with the ambitions of (Vladimir) Putin and China”.
“Whilst we haven’t seen the appalling consequences in that part of the world that we’ve seen in Ukraine, it is really important that we do everything that we can with all of our Nato allies to ensure that we have an effective deterrent in that part of the globe against Putin.”
Mr Trump has said he wants to get control over Greenland, which has a strategic location and natural resources, and “if we don’t do it the easy way, we’re going to do it the hard way”.
But former UK ambassador to the US Lord Peter Mandelson said he did not believe Mr Trump would use the military against a Nato ally.
“President Trump is not going to land on Greenland, take Greenland by force,” he said.
“He’s not a fool. What’s going to happen is there’s going to be a lot of discussion, a lot of consultation, a lot of negotiation and at the end of the day, we are all going to have to wake up to the reality that the Arctic needs securing against China and Russia.
“And if you ask me who is going to lead in that effort to secure, we all know, don’t we, that it’s going to be the United States.”
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Trump is a bully. His team do not control him.
Ignore Mandleson. He could tell that Epstein was a wrong un.
Putin played this well. Who else did putin play? Oh yeah, farage.
I’m not sure Putin played Farage more that Farage genuinely admires him. Though Blair did beforehand as well.
As did Cameron and Johnson put a mate of his in the HoL.
But the immediate threat is farage.
Interesting idea to place troops on Greenland but I doubt if will stop Trump just taking over the island if he’s really determined. He’s desperate for the mineral wealth to line his and his buddies pockets. Ultimately, Europe is going to have to get far far stronger to wean itself off American help.
American help? More like an American protection racket these days.
He called it security the other day. Lied through his back teeth saying Russia and China ships flood the area (they are not). He doesn’t want to be neighbours with Russia. There is Canada in the way and he doesn’t understand how close Alaska is to the Russians, a few miles. His reason will change but he does this because he is now an aggressive dictator and off his trolly on stupid.
So it’s no longer “WMDs”. The excuse for invasion and occupation now is “because China and Russia”?
They really must think we’re thick.
The UK and EU will continue to roll over for the US in support of their anti BRICS crusade and Trump’s dollar preservation hysteria. Simple reason…its in our short term trading interest to preserve the dollar as the global reserve currency. However, longer term…the EU have ambitions for the Euro but us…perhaps we should look to joining BRICS?