Discreet NATO move in the Arctic. The alliance has begun planning an “increased vigilance activity”
A US military plane in Greenland. PHOTO: / SWNS / SWNS / Profimedia
NATO has begun military planning for a mission called “Arctic Sentry” to bolster security in the Arctic, a spokesman for the alliance's military headquarters said on Tuesday, amid tensions between the United States and European allies over Greenland, according to Reuters and AFP.
US President Donald Trump's repeated statements that he wants Greenland, accusing European allies of not adequately securing the vast Arctic island from Russia or China, have sparked a row with Copenhagen over the autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty and caused tensions within NATO.
“A heightened vigilance NATO activity called Arctic Sentry is being planned,” said Colonel Martin O'Donnell, spokesman for the alliance's military headquarters, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), confirming an article published by German magazine Der Spiegel.
“This activity will further strengthen NATO's posture in the Arctic and the wider northern area,” he added, quoted by AFP.
He declined to provide further details, saying that planning is just beginning.
After a meeting with Donald Trump in Davos in January, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the two discussed how NATO allies could act together to ensure security in the Arctic, not just for Greenland, but also for the seven NATO member states that have territories in the Arctic region.
It was not immediately clear whether NATO defense ministers would discuss the issue at a meeting scheduled for February 12 in Brussels.
Under the alliance's rules, the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, US General Alexus Grynkewich, has the authority to plan and conduct so-called “increased vigilance activities” without requiring unanimous approval from member states.
