On January 18, according to the German newspaper Bild, 15 German soldiers who had been sent to Greenland have left the island, and the official has not given any explanation yet.
Earlier, US President Trump announced on the social media platform "Truth Social" that starting from February 1, 2026, the United States will impose a 10% tariff on all goods imported from eight countries - Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland. It is reported that this is a retaliation against these eight countries for supporting Greenland.
The German Ministry of Defense initially announced the deployment of 13 military personnel, but during the subsequent withdrawal, multiple media outlets quoted German media reports stating that there were 15 military personnel.
They arrived in Greenland on January 16 and secretly left after about 44 hours on January 18.
Official statement: This operation was carried out at the request of Denmark, in collaboration with several European countries, as an "exploratory mission" aimed at exploring military measures to strengthen regional security.
A German mission spokesperson said that the "initial mission" had been completed, meaning the analysis of the situation for the exercise, and the cooperation with Denmark was "very positive and constructive."
All planned activities were canceled urgently, and the military personnel carried all their luggage to the airport waiting to leave.
Bild reported that Berlin provided no explanation.
This mysterious withdrawal by Germany has attracted widespread attention from the outside world, with media generally speculating that it is directly related to Trump's tariff threat. The timing is highly coincidental (the withdrawal occurred the day after the threat was issued), making this speculation seem reasonable.
However, the German authorities only emphasized that "the mission was completed," without acknowledging any connection to the tariffs. Their statement that "the initial analysis has been completed" also provides a technical reason for the early withdrawal.
This reflects the intensifying geopolitical competition in the Arctic region. European countries attempt to demonstrate their presence and solidarity in the Arctic through joint actions, but the strong stance of the United States brings direct pressure.
This also shows the delicate and tense transatlantic relationship. Although European countries expressed unity in their statements, Germany's unilateral and rapid withdrawal shows the flexibility and vulnerability of member states when facing U.S. pressure.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1854706611728460/
Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.