The head of the European Union’s Defense Committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, is calling for a NATO presence in Greenland. Citing the growing threat from Russia and China, she believes a NATO presence is necessary to secure the region.
Strack-Zimmermann suggests that the German military, if equipped with the necessary capabilities, should participate in the effort, as it is also in Germany’s interest to secure the passage. She emphasized the need for European partners to be involved, not just the United States, to signal that the responsibility for the region’s security is shared among all.
Philip Krämer, a Green Party defense policy expert, agrees that the German military could make a significant contribution to the effort. He notes that Greenland’s location makes it an important location for monitoring Russian nuclear submarines and the German air force has the expertise that could be of value to NATO allies the United States and the United Kingdom.
The idea of a permanent NATO presence in Greenland was discussed by EU leaders at a defense summit in Brussels, amid concerns over US President Donald Trump’s claims to the island.
The United States has maintained military installations in Greenland for decades. The CDU’s Johann Wadephul, responsible for foreign and defense policy, suggests that these existing US structures could be integrated into NATO, with the addition of troops from other member states, to better face the challenges posed by Russia and China.