Denmark’s Arctic commander says focus is on Russia, not US, amid security concerns
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The chief of Denmark's Joint Arctic Command, Major General Soren Andersen, told Reuters that he is focused on countering potential Russian activity, not defending against US military threats.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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NUUK - Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command in Greenland is focused on countering potential Russian activity, not defending against US military threats, its head, Major General Soren Andersen, said on Jan 16, amid renewed attention on the Arctic region.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly described Greenland as vital to US security and has even declined to rule out the use of force to take control of the vast autonomous Arctic island, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
“My focus is not toward the US, not at all. My focus is on Russia,” Maj Gen Andersen told Reuters on board a Danish warship in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital.
He dismissed suggestions of conflict between NATO allies, describing such a scenario as “hypothetical”.
“I don’t see a NATO ally attacking another NATO ally,” he said. Referring to Denmark’s defence plans, he added: “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.”
In response to US concerns, European nations dispatched small numbers of military personnel to Greenland
The Arctic Command has invited the US to participate in Arctic Endurance, which this year will test forces in winter conditions.
“We had a meeting today with a lot of NATO partners, including the US, and invited them to participate in this exercise,” Maj Gen Andersen said, adding that he did not yet know whether the US would also join. Denmark did not invite the Americans to join a similar exercise in September.
Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command, responsible for defence around Greenland and the Faroe Islands, conducts surveillance and search-and-rescue missions, utilising patrol vessels, aircraft, helicopters, and satellite technology. It also fields the Sirius dog-sled patrol for long-range Arctic operations.
No Chinese or Russian ships near Greenland
Maj Gen Andersen said there were no Chinese or Russian ships near Greenland, though he added that a Russian research vessel was located 575km away. “That’s the closest one,” he said, adding 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,” Maj Gen Andersen said.
Denmark allocated an Arctic defence package of 42 billion Danish crowns (S$8.4 billion) in 2022 in response to rising security concerns.
Maj Gen Andersen emphasised that collaboration with US military personnel remains frequent. He recently met the commander of US NORTHCOM, the commander of Alaska Command, and held discussions at the US Pituffik base in Greenland, with further engagements planned later this month. REUTERS
