LONDON

Several officers from the Swedish armed forces have been sent to Greenland upon Denmark's request to join a military exercise, Sweden's prime minister said on Wednesday.

Several officers from the Swedish Armed Forces are arriving in Greenland today. They are part of a group from several allied countries," Ulf Kristersson wrote on the US social media company X.

The military personnel will prepare for upcoming elements within the framework of the Danish exercise Operation Arctic Endurance, he said. "It is at Denmark's request that Sweden is sending personnel from the Armed Forces."

The remarks come as US President Donald Trump has expressed interest in acquiring the autonomous Danish territory.

Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has attracted US interest due to its strategic location and vast mineral resources as well as alleged concerns over rising Russian and Chinese activity.

Denmark and Greenland have rejected proposals to sell the territory, reaffirming Danish sovereignty over the island.

Earlier in the day, Trump said the US "needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security" and it is "vital for the Golden Dome that we are building."

Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were scheduled to meet Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenland Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt at the White House on Wednesday.