BERLIN

Top defense officials from Germany and Denmark visited Greenland on Monday to discuss strengthening trilateral cooperation to address security and geopolitical challenges.

Nils Schmid, Germany's deputy defense minister, was greeted by Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt and Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen upon his arrival at Nuuk airport. The officials later visited German and Danish navy ships at the port.

Speaking to reporters, Schmid emphasized Germany's commitment to regional security and stability, highlighting the importance of joint efforts with Denmark to address growing challenges in the region.

"Today, two of our ships, TRITON and BERLIN, are anchored next to each other in the port of Nuuk. This underlines that together we are turning words into action," Schmid said. "I am particularly pleased to be able to speak with representatives of the Greenlandic government today, on the occasion of the German Navy's visit, about how we can further expand our cooperation on security issues."

Danish Defense Minister Poulsen stressed that Arctic security remains a high priority for his government. "Denmark and Greenland, together with partners, have continuously strengthened defense in the Arctic," he told reporters. "The German visit to Greenland is further proof of European unity in the Arctic and the North Atlantic, and I look forward to discussing the possibilities of further strengthening defense cooperation between Greenland, Denmark and Germany," he added.

Greenland's Foreign Minister Motzfeldt emphasized the importance of regional security while expressing her government's desire for closer cooperation with Germany and Denmark. “The security situation requires that we strengthen cooperation on security in the Arctic,” she stressed. “The special operational conditions in and around Greenland require that we exchange experiences and train with our allies, including Germany. I look forward to discussing Greenland’s position with my Danish and German colleagues.”