\n
President Donald Trump is exaggerating the threat to Greenland posed by Russia and China, Sweden\u2019s defence minister has said as European troops arrived in the territory.<\/p>\n
Military reinforcements from France, Germany, Norway and Sweden are to help boost Arctic security amid persistent threats of a full US takeover by Trump.<\/p>\n
Part of the American leader\u2019s justification for his ambitions is that \u201cif we don\u2019t, Russia or China will\u201d, insisting that Nato should support his plans for its own security.<\/p>\n
However, Sweden\u2019s defence minister, Pal Jonson, dismissed the claims as an \u201cexaggeration\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\nDenmark and Greenland\u2019s foreign ministers said there remained \u2018fundamental disagreement\u2019 between the parties (AP)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\u201cIf you state that Greenland is flooded with Russian and Chinese vessels, that\u2019s an exaggeration according to the assessments that we do for the region,\u201d he told The Telegraph. <\/em><\/p>\nMr Trump has said the region is \u201ccovered with Chinese and Russian ships all over the place\u201d. But, while there has been an increase in China\u2019s research vessels being stationed in the Arctic, Johnson said the scope of such placements was \u201climited\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think it should be exaggerated, it tends to be predominantly focusing on research vessels,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\nDanish military forces participate in an exercise with hundreds of troops from several European Nato members in the Arctic Ocean in Nuuk, Greenland last year (AP)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Europe has been left scrambling for a response to Mr Trump\u2019s plans \u2013\u00a0dubbed by some as the \u201cend of Nato\u201d if successful\u2013 with French president Emmanuel Macron to hold an emergency meeting with his defence cabinet in Paris on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Denmark and Nato allies have increased their military presence in the region amid the uncertainty. Sweden confirmed a deployment of military officers to the Arctic \u2013 at the behest of Denmark \u2013 and others including the UK are expected to follow in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt Denmark\u2019s request, I have decided that France will participate in the joint exercises organised by Denmark in Greenland,\u201d Mr Macron confirmed in a post on X\/Twitter on Thursday. \u201cThe first French military elements are already en route. Others will follow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\nDonald Trump has said Russia or China will make a move to occupy Greenland if the US doesn\u2019t (AP)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Germany will deploy a reconnaissance team of 13 personnel, France will send 15 soldiers and the UK is expected to send one military officer.<\/p>\n
It follows strained discussions at the White House on Tuesday that ended in a \u201cfundamental disagreement\u201d between Greenland and Denmark, and the US.<\/p>\n
The meeting between Danish foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenland\u2019s foreign minister Vivian Motzfeldt was originally to be held with secretary of state Marco Rubio before vice-president JD Vance demanded to be included.<\/p>\n
Denmark and the US have agreed to set up a working group to discuss ways to resolve the differences as Mr Trump continues to make statements that he needs the territory.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe group, in our view, should focus on how to address the American security concerns, while at the same time respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark,\u201d Mr Rasmussen told reporters on Wednesday. He said that a US acquisition of Greenland was \u201cabsolutely not necessary\u201d.<\/p>\n
But Mr Trump continued to issue barely veiled threats, making references to the toppling of the Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, in the immediate aftermath of the diplomatic talks.<\/p>\n
\u201cGreenland is very important for the national security, including of Denmark,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd the problem is there\u2019s not a thing that Denmark can do about it if Russia or China wants to occupy Greenland, but there\u2019s everything we can do. You found that out last week with Venezuela.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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