The UK is collaborating with Nato allies to enhance security in the Arctic, a Cabinet minister confirmed, following reports that British troops could be deployed to Greenland. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said discussions about countering Russia and China in the High North are routine Nato planning, not a direct response to US President Donald Trump’s threats to seize the Danish territory.
President Trump has insisted on gaining control of Greenland, citing strategic location and natural resources, and has not ruled out military force. However, former UK ambassador to the US Lord Peter Mandelson dismissed the prospect of a US attack on a Nato ally, stating Trump would pursue negotiation rather than force.
The Sunday Telegraph reported that military chiefs are drafting plans for a potential Nato mission to Greenland involving British soldiers, warships, and aircraft. Ms Alexander told the BBC the report “possibly reads something more into business as usual discussions amongst Nato allies than there actually are”. She stressed the need for an effective deterrent against Vladimir Putin’s ambitions in the Arctic.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urged the UK to offer troops under joint Danish and UK command, saying Trump should “drop his outrageous threats”. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called Greenland a “second order issue”, prioritising Nato’s strength and the British national interest over hypothetical conflict with the US.
