Danish soldiers flown to Greenland in January were prepared to blow up key airport runways over fears that US President Donald Trump could invade the Arctic island, Denmark's public broadcaster DR has revealed.
Citing sources within the Danish government and military, as well as European allies, DR reported that additional blood supplies were brought in to treat the wounded in case of conflict.
Two European officials later confirmed the report to the Financial Times, while the Danish defence ministry refrained from commenting on the matter.
A senior Danish military official, who wished to remain unnamed, stated that only a limited number of personnel were informed about the operation for security reasons.
Both the US and Denmark are NATO members, yet the issue of Greenland, a semi-autonomous region of Denmark, has created significant tension between Washington and European allies. Trump has expressed interest in annexing Greenland, a proposal that has been rejected by both its leaders and Denmark.
Sources have indicated that Denmark sought political support from France and Germany to demonstrate European solidarity against Trump's ambitions, while also conducting military activities in Greenland.
The report details that tensions escalated in January after the US conducted a lightning operation in Venezuela, leading to high-level concerns within Denmark regarding the security of Greenland.
Following this, a small military contingent from Denmark and other European nations was deployed to Greenland in a move portrayed as part of Danish-led joint military exercises, although the real intent was to prepare for a potential US invasion.
Danish defense analysts suggested that should a US invasion occur, their military would be willing to fight and would destroy the runways in Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq to prevent US military aircraft from landing there.
While acknowledging that Danish troops were not capable of repelling a potential US attack entirely, a defense source emphasized the need to increase the costs for any US operation targeting Greenland.
On January 21, during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump asserted that he would not use force to acquire Greenland but sought negotiations to resolve the matter amicably.
With ongoing tensions, the situation remains unsettled, highlighting the precarious balance of power and diplomatic relations in the Arctic region.
