France Deploys Elite Alpine Forces to Greenland in Show of European Solidarity

France has deployed specialist military personnel to Greenland as part of a Danish-led European security operation named "Arctic Endurance." The initial deployment includes French Alpine Hunters (Chasseurs Alpins), elite mountain infantry trained for extreme cold-weather operations, alongside elements from other European nations such as Germany, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

This multinational military activity in Greenland, organised by Denmark outside of the NATO framework, is officially described as a training exercise for polar conditions. However, its timing and context carry significant geopolitical weight. The deployment is widely seen as a direct European response to repeated statements by US President Donald Trump asserting that the United States "needs Greenland for national security reasons," which have been perceived as challenging Danish sovereignty over the autonomous territory.

Senior Danish military officials have indicated that the "Arctic Endurance" mission is not a short-term exercise but could extend for one to two years, with plans to involve different military capabilities, including special forces, in the future. The move represents a concrete signal of European solidarity with Denmark and a collective commitment to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Greenland amidst heightened tensions in the Arctic region.