Danish Arctic Command chief: "Focus is on Russia, not US"

Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command in Greenland is concentrating its efforts on monitoring and countering potential Russian activity rather than preparing for any military threat from the United States, Major General Soren Andersen said on January 16, as geopolitical attention toward the Arctic continues to grow.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly characterised Greenland as essential to U.S. national security and has not excluded the possibility of using force to assert control over the large autonomous Arctic territory, which forms part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Speaking to journalists aboard a Danish naval vessel docked in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, Andersen emphasised that his operational priorities lie elsewhere. “My focus is not toward the U.S., not at all. My focus is on Russia,” he said.

He rejected speculation about potential conflict among NATO members, calling such a scenario “hypothetical.” Andersen added, “I don’t see a NATO ally attacking another NATO ally,” noting that Denmark’s defence planning continues as usual. “We work on those, but it’s a normal thing for us to do. My task is to work up here for the defence of the kingdom together with NATO.”

Amid U.S. concerns about the region, several European countries sent small military contingents to Greenland this week to support preparations for the upcoming Arctic Endurance NATO exercise. The Joint Arctic Command has also extended an invitation to U.S. forces to take part in this year’s training, which will assess operational capabilities in severe winter conditions.

“We had a meeting today with a lot of NATO partners, including the U.S., and invited them to participate in this exercise,” Andersen said, noting that Washington has not yet confirmed its participation. Denmark did not invite U.S. forces to a comparable drill held in September.

The Joint Arctic Command, which oversees defence around Greenland and the Faroe Islands, carries out surveillance, search-and-rescue operations, and long-range patrol missions using ships, aircraft, helicopters, satellite systems, and the long-standing Sirius dog-sled patrol.

According to Andersen, no Russian or Chinese vessels were currently operating near Greenland, although a Russian research ship had been detected 310 nautical miles away—the closest presence observed. He stressed that NATO allies maintain “a good picture of the situation up here.”

“We actually expect an increase in Russian activities in the coming years, and... we have to start training and increase the presence here in the Arctic to protect NATO’s northern border,” he said.

Citing heightened security concerns, Denmark approved a 42-billion-crown ($6.54 billion) Arctic defence package in 2022.

Andersen also underscored ongoing cooperation with the United States. He recently met with the head of U.S. Northern Command, the commander of Alaska Command, and held discussions at the U.S. Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, with additional engagements scheduled later this month.

By Tamilla Hasanova