Germany sends warship to Greenland to signal Arctic solidarity

Germany has deployed one of its largest naval vessels, the supply ship Berlin, to Nuuk in a first-ever port call that Danish officials describe as a clear signal of solidarity and growing European focus on the Arctic.

The nearly 175-meter Berlin, which carries millions of liters of fuel, medical facilities and two helicopters, is scheduled to take part in an Arctic military exercise later this month. But for Copenhagen, the ship’s presence in Greenland is less about logistics and more about symbolism.

“This is a signal of solidarity with the Kingdom,” Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told TV 2, adding that Berlin’s arrival follows French President Emmanuel Macron’s June visit to Nuuk and reflects the heightened interest among European allies in Greenland and the Arctic.

The German government has framed the deployment as part of strengthening NATO’s ability to operate in northern waters at a time when Russian military activity is expanding and U.S. pressure on Denmark over Greenland’s defenses has intensified. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said this year that the United States should take control of Greenland, pointing to Danish shortcomings in monitoring Russian submarines and aircraft moving along the island’s coasts.

Locals who boarded the ship during public tours expressed mixed reactions. Some welcomed the sense of protection, while others worried that more military visits could make Greenland the center of a great-power confrontation.

For Denmark, long accustomed to keeping a low profile in Greenland with a focus on rescue operations, that era is over.

“When I started as defense minister two years ago, we talked about Greenland as a low-tension area. Nobody talks about that anymore,” Poulsen told TV 2, citing Russia’s war in Ukraine as a turning point.

Over the summer, Greenland has hosted a series of European naval visits, including a French warship. The Berlin is part of Germany’s stepped-up Arctic presence and Copenhagen is preparing to unveil an “Arctic package” next month that will invest billions in new surveillance systems, fighter jet facilities and Arctic-capable ships.