German defence minister dismisses US Greenland seizure fears

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said he does not expect the United States to seize Greenland, despite remarks by President Donald Trump.

During an interview with ZDF, the German public-service television broadcaster, Pistorius described Trump’s statements on Greenland as “part of his mentality.”

He noted that Greenland is already part of NATO, and the US maintains a base there under agreements that allow Americans to expand their presence legally without any threat of invasion.

“I see no grounds for actual US military intervention in Greenland,” Pistorius emphasised, adding that there are voices within the United States strongly opposed to such actions.

The minister described the deployment of German troops to the island as routine. “We have been operating for years in the Arctic and North Sea, participating in exercises with Canada, Norway, and Denmark,” he said. According to Pistorius, the 13–15 Bundeswehr soldiers in Greenland are not performing combat duties but operate as a reconnaissance team.

Earlier this week, several European countries announced the deployment of their troops to Greenland in response to Trump’s remarks about Danish defence of the island, which he described as “two dog sleds.”

The White House stated that the presence of European forces on the island will not affect President Trump’s plans regarding Greenland.

By Jeyhun Aghazada