France has confirmed that it will take part in joint European military exercises in Greenland, organized by Denmark, amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Arctic and following statements by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the intention to establish control over the island.
The announcement was made by French President Emmanuel Macron via the social network X. According to the head of state, the first French military elements are already en route to Greenland, with additional detachments expected to be deployed subsequently.
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“At Denmark’s request, I have decided that France will participate in the joint exercise organized by Denmark in Greenland, Operation Arctic Endurance,” Macron said, adding that the deployment will take place progressively.
At present, Germany, Sweden, and Norway have already sent troops to the island, albeit in limited numbers. It was also previously reported that the British government is holding talks with European allies on the possibility of deploying a military contingent to Greenland.
In addition, the president of the German Reservists’ Association, Patrick Sensburg, has publicly advocated sending a European brigade to the region, arguing that Europe needs to demonstrate a more robust presence in light of intentions attributed to the U.S. president regarding a territory considered strategic in the Arctic.
Trump, for his part, has expressed concerns about the presence of Russian and Chinese forces in the Arctic, describing Greenland as an area of strategic importance. In response, leaders of major European countries issued a joint statement reaffirming the inviolability of Danish sovereignty and the island’s status as an autonomous territory under Copenhagen’s administration.
On the Danish side, Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen stated that the country is moving toward establishing a more permanent and larger-scale military presence in Greenland, given the security environment in the Arctic.
The most recent French deployment to Greenland took place in October 2025 during the Arctic Light 2025 exercise, organized by Denmark’s Arctic Joint Command. On that occasion, an A330 MRTT aircraft from the French Air and Space Force carried out aerial refueling missions for Danish aircraft; on land, a Mountain Commando Group equipped with drones was integrated into a local unit; and in the naval domain, the French Navy’s support ship Garonne also took part. The combination of naval, land, and air assets consolidated France as one of the exercise’s main contributors.
Source and images: X @EmmanuelMacron | @armeedeterre | @MarineNationale | Militarnyi. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
À la demande du Danemark, j’ai décidé que la France participera aux exercices conjoints organisés par le Danemark au Groenland, l’Opération Endurance Arctique. De premiers éléments militaires français sont d’ores et déjà en chemin. D’autres suivront.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) January 14, 2026
