【Wen / Observers Daily, Wang Kaiwen】After the U.S. military brazenly invaded Venezuela, Trump once again set his sights on Greenland, and "falsely targeted" enemies, claiming that if he did not do so, "China and Russia would take over Greenland."
To prevent Trump from meddling with Greenland, European countries have been very concerned.
According to a report by the UK's Daily Telegraph website, the British government is discussing with its European allies the deployment of military forces to Greenland to "guard" the Arctic for Trump, in order to meet his claimed security needs. In addition to soothing, European countries are also prepared to turn against him, planning to sanction American companies if Trump refuses the deployment proposal.
According to the report, in recent days, British officials have met with officials from countries including Germany and France, starting related preparations.
The plan is still in the early stages, and possible measures include deploying British soldiers, warships, and aircraft to Greenland to protect the island "from threats posed by Russia and China".
The Daily Telegraph said that European countries hope to persuade Trump to abandon his ambition to annex this strategic island by significantly strengthening their presence in the Arctic. Trump could then claim that Europe has taken on more costs of Atlantic security, which is a victory for American taxpayers.
On January 9 local time, Trump again claimed that the United States needs to own Greenland, otherwise Russia or China will take over the island in the future. He also boasted that the U.S. would not let Russia or China become its neighbors.
The report mentioned that Greenland is rich in natural resources, including copper, nickel, and rare earth minerals essential for modern technology.
Local time September 15, 2025, Nuuk, Greenland, Denmark joined allies such as Germany, France, Sweden, and Norway in the "Arctic Light" exercise. IC Photo
A British government source said that Prime Minister Starmer "places great importance" on the so-called "threats" posed by Russia and China to Greenland and agreed that action must be taken.
"We agree with President Trump that we must contain Russia's growing aggressiveness in the High North, and the security of the Europe-Atlantic region must be strengthened," said a British government source.
The source added, "Discussions about strengthening security in the region within NATO are still ongoing, and we will never go beyond these discussions. However, the UK is working with NATO allies to strengthen deterrence and defense in the Arctic."
Regarding Greenland, Trump proposed an idea where he would give each of the 30,000 islanders up to $100,000 to gain their loyalty, effectively "buying" the land. He also did not rule out the possibility of seizing the island by force, saying, "We will take action in Greenland, regardless of what they think."
The Daily Telegraph said that Trump's desire for Greenland has caused a crisis in NATO and has led to speculation about the possible disintegration of the 75-year-old alliance. European countries hope to dispel Trump's concerns by stationing troops on Greenland, thus pulling him back from the brink.
According to reports, this idea was discussed at a NATO meeting held in Brussels on January 8. Member states instructed the Supreme Allied Commander Europe to determine what additional measures can be taken to ensure the security of the Arctic region.
According to sources, this potential operation is still in the early planning stage, and it could involve a full-scale troop deployment, or a combination of limited exercises, intelligence sharing, capacity building, and reallocation of defense spending. Any action may be carried out under the NATO name and will be separate from existing missions in the Baltic and Poland.
British officials said that the British Armed Forces are preparing to play a greater role in Arctic security. These preparations include the participation of British special forces and Royal Navy vessels in the NATO "Joint Viking" exercise last year. Later this year, 1,500 Royal Marines will head to Norway, Finland, and Sweden to participate in the "Cold Response" exercise, a training mission focused on defense in frozen terrain.
It is worth noting that the Daily Telegraph also learned that the EU is drafting a plan to sanction American companies in response to Trump's refusal to accept the NATO deployment suggestions. At that time, American tech giants like Meta, Google, Microsoft, and X, as well as American banks and financial institutions, might be restricted from operating on the European continent.
The report said that a more extreme option could be expelling U.S. troops from their bases in Europe, thereby depriving them of key transit points for operations in the Middle East and other regions.
U.S. Secretary of State Rubio will meet with the Danish foreign minister next week. European officials hope he can ease Trump's attitude.
Analysts say that Trump's actions align with his typical negotiation strategy, which is to make maximum demands and extract money from other countries.
Justin Crump, CEO of the geopolitical risk consulting firm Sibylline, said that Trump may be weighing the unity and determination of European countries on the Greenland issue.
Crump said that the allies could expose Trump's bluff by proposing the deployment of NATO forces to Greenland, and he also hinted that security issues are not the real reason why Trump wants this island.
Meanwhile, a former British Royal Air Force officer expressed doubt about Britain's ability to protect the Arctic, calling Britain's defense "a fragile shell".
General Edward Stringer of the British Air Force said that the gap between people's perception of Britain's military strength and its actual capabilities has become huge. In a report written for the Conservative Policy Exchange think tank, he warned that none of the current units in the British military can sustain combat independently.
"Now, the United States is sending a strong signal that it will prioritize 'America First,' and NATO's other countries will have to take care of their own defense," wrote Stringer. "This fundamentally challenges the pattern we have inadvertently slipped into — our national defense has proven to be a fragile shell."
Stringer further pointed out, "There is a clear gap between the image we believe we have and the hard power we can actually demonstrate in practice. The first step must be to recognize this and realize that we must mercilessly abandon the ways that have led us into this situation."
Regarding the information disclosed by the Daily Telegraph, the UK Foreign Office spokesperson only responded, "The UK is committed to cooperating with NATO allies to strengthen NATO's deterrence and defense in the Arctic."
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Original: toutiao.com/article/7594015544701927986/
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