Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command has formally invited the United States to take part in forthcoming military exercises in Greenland, amid a wider Nato push by European allies to expand training and contingency planning around the Arctic island.

Major General Søren Andersen, the head of the command, said an invitation had been sent to Washington and that Copenhagen was awaiting an official reply. The command, which operates under Denmark’s Ministry of Defence and is headquartered in Greenland, has been coordinating preparations for exercises expected to involve multiple European Nato members.

The invitation comes against a backdrop of repeated statements by US President Donald Trump that Greenland is central to American security and should be brought under US control. Andersen said he was not seeing Chinese or Russian ships near Greenland at present, contradicting claims made by Trump in recent weeks that foreign vessels were operating close to the island. In remarks reported by Reuters, Andersen said the nearest identified Russian vessel was a research ship more than 300 nautical miles away.

Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, hosts the US Pituffik Space Base, a key site for early warning and space surveillance. Danish officials have emphasised that allied cooperation in the Arctic already includes extensive interaction with the United States, while arguing that the immediate military planning requirement is to address expected increases in Russian activity in the region.

European allies have begun sending small teams to Greenland to scope out the requirements for a larger series of exercises and a more persistent Nato posture during 2026. Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Netherlands were among those dispatching personnel, with Denmark preparing a broader programme of training and presence later in the year.

Berlin has described its contribution as a reconnaissance mission designed to assess what could be deployed if required. Germany is sending 13 soldiers to Nuuk as part of a multinational team, with officials saying the task is to evaluate “framework conditions” for potential military support, including maritime surveillance and the feasibility of deploying Eurofighter aircraft and naval vessels.

Sweden’s Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, said Swedish officers were being sent at Denmark’s request to help plan future phases of exercises under the banner “Operation Arctic Endurance”, a Danish-led initiative involving several allied partners.

The White House has publicly played down the significance of the European deployments, saying they would not affect President Trump’s stated approach to Greenland. A statement cited by Reuters and other outlets said European troop movements would not change US priorities regarding “acquisition” of the territory.

Trump has also raised the prospect of using economic pressure to advance his position. The Associated Press reported that he suggested imposing tariffs on countries that did not support US control of Greenland, linking the issue to national security. Denmark and Greenland’s leadership have rejected the idea of any transfer of sovereignty.

Denmark has been increasing its Arctic defence spending and signalling that it intends to strengthen its ability to operate in and around Greenland. Reuters reported that Copenhagen has announced an Arctic defence package worth 42 billion Danish crowns, aimed at improving surveillance, presence and readiness across the North Atlantic and Arctic areas.

For Nato, the immediate question is whether the United States will participate in the next round of Greenland exercises. Andersen noted that the US did not take part with units in a comparable exercise in 2025, while Denmark has continued routine cooperation with US forces based at Pituffik. The current invitation, he said, is intended to bring Washington into the planning and execution of allied training on the island as European partners prepare for a more sustained schedule during 2026.