Europe’s Plans For Greenland’s Defense? Not Quite Two Dogsleds, But Not Far Off
11:26 GMT 15.01.2026 (Updated: 12:27 GMT 15.01.2026)
© AP Photo / Evgeniy Maloletka
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A European coalition of the willing is huddling around Denmark, pledging to help defend Greenland amid US threats to seize the island. But the size of the force the Europeans are assembling for ‘Operation Arctic Endurance’ leaves something to be desired. It’s not much bigger than the “two dogsleds” Trump has joked about.
President Macron says the first French forces “are already en route” to Greenland and that “others will follow.” An ambassador says the first batch will number ~15 troops
Germany has pledged 13 troops for ‘joint reconnaissance and maritime surveillance’
Sweden is sending “several” officers and “a small number” of unarmed personnel
Norway has pledged two troops
the UK is deploying one officer, and is too nervous to even say why, delusionally framing it as a move to “deter Russian aggression,” and saying London shares “Trump’s concern about the security of the High North”
the Netherlands and Canada area are reportedly mulling a mission, but no details on its scope are available
Italy, Poland and Spain expressed verbal support
Denmark has ~150-200 military and civilian personnel in Greenland, a 12-member Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, and seven Arctic-capable patrol vessels, four of which will be scrapped and replaced by 2030 by ships that haven't been built yet. The country plans to spend $13.8B on Arctic rearmament amid “the serious security situation we find ourselves in.”
Two planeloads of European troops landed in Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq, Greenland Wednesday under the cover of night, their tracking transponders turned off, per Bild.
In all, that’s 30+ NATO troops, an unknown number of additional Danish forces, and ~150-200 already on the island (some of them civilians). That’s about one company-sized unit.
And the US?
150 personnel at Pituffik Space Force Base. One Danish liaison officer accompanies them.
The Alaska-based 11th Airborne Division (~12k troops)
Thousands of Arctic-trained SOF, Delta, Green Beret and Marine units
~270 C-17 and C-5 transports, 31 amphibious assault ships, and 9 helicopter carriers
During WWII and the Cold War, the US had over two dozen bases in Greenland, stationing up to 10-15k troops and support personnel on the island at a time. In force projection, troop numbers, and long-term deployment capabilities, Washington's European allies are far outmatched.
