NATO plans several Arctic exercises in coming months: Military Committee chief

BRUSSELS

Adm. Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of the NATO Military Committee, said Thursday that several exercises are planned in the Arctic in the coming months, but no drills are currently scheduled on Greenland as the alliance awaits political guidance.

"There are a few exercises that are planned upcoming in the Arctic over the coming months ... but none on Greenland itself, as I mentioned, The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is executing some of those exercises in close coordination with us, but none on Greenland," he told a joint press conference after the NATO Chiefs of Defense meeting in Brussels.

Dragone said discussions on Greenland and Arctic security remain at an early stage, and the alliance has not yet received formal political direction to begin detailed military planning.

"We are still waiting for direction, and from then on, we will start doing our business, which is the military planning and whatever it is necessary to fulfill and to honor the guidance," he said, referring to a recently announced framework involving Greenland, Denmark and the US.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and US President Donald Trump met on Wednesday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, amid recent tensions between Europe and the US, which wants to acquire Greenland for national security purposes. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart described the encounter as "a very productive meeting."

Trump later said on his Truth Social platform that a framework for a potential deal involving Greenland and the broader Arctic region had been established.

Dragone said NATO has not launched planning for a specific Arctic mission, but remains prepared to act if tasked. "Whether we call it Arctic Sentry or something else. We've done no planning yet. We have not received political guidance to move out."

Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich highlighted growing cooperation between Russia and China in the Arctic, including joint maritime and long-range bomber patrols, calling it "one of the most concerning changes in the security situation."

"It's been both in the maritime domain with increased joint patrols, as well as in the air domain, with long-range bomber patrols being conducted jointly. So the activity that they're doing together is definitely increasing at any time our competitors or potential adversaries are doing that. It's something that we need to pay attention to," he said.

"We're constantly trying to enhance our posture, and think of ways that nations can enhance our posture in the in the Arctic," Grynkewich added.

The US leader has shown interest in Greenland because of its strategic Arctic location, rich mineral resources, and concerns over alleged Russian and Chinese influence in the region.

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