Else Beekman
Spain is weighing its role in an increasingly tense geopolitical (or Arctic?) landscape. With France already deploying troops to Greenland and several northern European allies following suit, Madrid now finds itself at a strategic crossroads.
President Emmanuel Macron announced that a small team of elite mountain soldiers had arrived this week in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, to begin joint exercises with Denmark. The operation, dubbed Arctic Endurance, is part of a wider European effort to reinforce regional security. Germany, Sweden, and Norway have also said they’ll be sending officers to the island.
Spain urges caution
Defence Minister Margarita Robles hasn’t ruled out Spain’s participation, but made clear that any move would be measured.
“Let’s see how things evolve. There are meetings today and tomorrow morning. We’ll make decisions based on how those go,” she told reporters in Madrid.
Tensions over US ambitions
The increased activity in the Arctic comes amid rising tensions with the United States. Former President Donald Trump, now running for a second term, has revived controversial plans to annex Greenland, a self-governing part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
On Wednesday, US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt at the White House. The talks were brief and ended without agreement, though the sides did agree to set up a working group to explore what they called “fundamental disagreements”.
Firm Danish-Greenlandic response
In response, Denmark and Greenland issued a strongly worded rejection of Trump’s comments. They called any suggestion of annexation “completely unacceptable” and reaffirmed Greenland’s right to self-determination.
Trump, however, doubled down in a post on Truth Social, claiming that a US-led Greenland would make NATO “far more effective” and that any other outcome was “unacceptable”.
Could NATO be at risk?
When asked if a potential US annexation could spell the end of NATO, Robles was blunt:
“No, I don’t believe that. Annexation would be serious and unacceptable, but I don’t think we’re at that point.”
As interest in the Arctic’s strategic value grows, European nations appear keen to act together. Germany’s defence ministry has confirmed it will send officers for reconnaissance activities in Greenland between 15 and 17 January.
For now, Spain is keeping its options open. Robles emphasised that any involvement would be a collective decision, reached with care and based on how the situation unfolds.