Denmark arms Greenland as Trump talks about buying island

Denmark arms Greenland amid Trump's statements on the need to acquire the island Sergei Popovich

Denmark has announced a significant increase in defense funding for Greenland. The decision comes amid US President-elect Donald Trump's repeated statement about his intention to purchase the island.

Denmark will strengthen its fleet and infrastructure in Greenland. This was reported by Channel 24 with reference to the BBC.

How Denmark is reacting to Trump's plans

Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said that the defense package for Greenland includes spending in the double-digit billion kroner range (at least $1.5 billion). He called the decision “ironic,” given that Trump had said the day before that control of the island was of strategic importance to the United States.

We have underinvested in the Arctic for many years, and now we are planning to increase our presence, Poulsen said.

Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, is of great importance to the United States because of its geographical location on the shortest route to Europe. The island is rich in minerals and oil. There is a large American space facility on the island.

The defense package will be spent on

• purchasing two inspection ships;
• acquiring two long-range drones;
• two dog sled teams;
• upgrading a civilian airport in Greenland to handle F-35 fighter jets;
• expanding the Arctic Command staff in the capital Nuuk.

The exact amount is not disclosed, but Danish media estimates it at 12-15 billion kroner (about 1.6 billion dollars).

Recall that Donald Trump has not abandoned the idea of ​​buying Greenland, he considers it an absolute necessity for the United States.