The case for putting a European military presence in Greenland

“Greenland has suddenly become a test case for Europe’s capacity to defend its own territory”, writes Domènec Ruiz Devesa, Senior Research Fellow at CIDOB. “The most immediate and visible step would be the urgent establishment of a limited European military presence in Greenland, at Denmark’s request, as suggested by France already early in 2025. This would not be a force designed to fight the United States, nor a step towards militarising the Arctic. Its purpose would be deterrence.” “Security measures alone are not enough. Greenland’s long-term protection also requires anchoring it more firmly within the European legal and political framework.”