Britain is holding talks with European allies about deploying a military contingent to Greenland to police the Arctic on Donald Trump’s behalf.
The report comes from The Telegraph, citing government sources.
Military chiefs are drawing up plans for a potential NATO mission on the island, which the US President has threatened to seize over security concerns.
British officials have met with their German and French counterparts in recent days to begin preparations. The plans, which are in the early stages, could involve deploying British soldiers, warships, and aircraft to defend Greenland against Russia and China.
European nations hope that a significant boost to their presence in the Arctic will persuade Trump to abandon his ambitions to annex the strategic territory. This would allow him to claim a victory for American taxpayers by arguing that Europe is shouldering a greater share of the cost for patrolling the Atlantic.
"We share President Trump’s view – growing Russian aggression in the High North needs to be checked and Euro-Atlantic security strengthened," a government source told the publication.
The idea was discussed at a meeting of NATO allies in Brussels on Thursday. Members tasked the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) with determining what further steps can be taken to defend the Arctic.
According to sources, the potential operation is in the preliminary planning phases. It could involve a full troop deployment or a combination of time-limited exercises, intelligence sharing, capability development, and redirected defense spending.
Trump has proposed effectively buying the territory, offering each of its 30,000 citizens up to $100,000 to transfer to US jurisdiction. He has also refused to rule out the use of military force to seize the island.
The newspaper also reports that the European Union is drafting sanctions against US companies should Trump reject the NATO deployment offer. Tech giants Meta, Google, Microsoft, and X could face restrictions on their operations on the continent, as could US banks and financial firms. A more extreme option could involve evicting US military personnel from their bases in Europe.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet his Danish counterpart next week.
Justin Crump, CEO of the intelligence firm Sibylline, noted that allies could "call Trump’s bluff" by offering NATO forces in Greenland, implying that security is not the real reason the President wants the island.