BERLIN — Denmark's prime minister embarked on a tour of major European capitals Tuesday as the continent faces what she called "a more uncertain reality" and her country moves to strengthen its military presence around Greenland.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen planned stops in Berlin, Paris and Brussels, the latter to meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Her trip comes as new U.S. President Donald Trump has said he would not rule out the use of military force to seize control of Greenland, an autonomous territory belonging to NATO and European Union member Denmark.
On Monday evening, her government announced a roughly 14.6 billion-kroner (nearly $2 billion) agreement with parties including the governments of Greenland and the Faeroe Islands to "improve capabilities for surveillance and maintaining sovereignty in the region."
Those will include three new Arctic naval vessels, two additional long-range surveillance drones and satellite capacity, the Defense Ministry in Copenhagen said.
Frederiksen didn't directly mention Trump's threat in comments at a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, but she said that "we are facing a more uncertain reality, a reality that calls for an even more united Europe and for more cooperation."
She pointed to Russian activities in Ukraine and beyond and said that "it is up to Europe to define the future of our continent, and I think we have to take more responsibility for our own security."
In its announcement on the Arctic and North Atlantic region, the Danish Defense Ministry said that the parties agreed to negotiate a second agreement in the first half of this year focused on strengthening deterrence and defense.
"We must face the fact that there are serious challenges regarding security and defense in the Arctic and North Atlantic," Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said. "For this reason, we must strengthen our presence in the region."
His ministry said ensuring that investments provide support for local jobs and businesses in Greenland and the Faeroe Islands will be "a focal point." Vivian Motzfeldt, Greenland's minister of statehood and foreign affairs, said she was "pleased with the steps we are taking towards increased security in and around Greenland" with the accord.
Greenland's government has insisted that the territory isn't for sale but that it is open to cooperation. The Defense Ministry statement didn't mention Trump's ambitions.
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