By Micah Jonah
January 11, 2026
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is considering the deployment of UK troops to Greenland as tensions rise over the future of the Danish territory following increasingly forceful rhetoric from United States President, Donald Trump.
The discussions come only days after Starmer pledged to commit British forces to Ukraine as part of a coalition, aimed at guaranteeing peace, a move that has already raised concerns among former senior military leaders about whether the UK has sufficient personnel.
Trump has repeatedly said he wants the United States to take control of Greenland, a semi autonomous Danish territory with major strategic value in the Arctic, and has not ruled out the use of military force. His remarks have alarmed European allies and prompted renewed debate within Nato about security in the High North.
Former US assistant secretary of state, Frank Rose, told The Independent that Trump’s actions risk undermining American defence credibility in the region and could push allies to turn against Washington.
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander sought to downplay the reports, insisting that talks about Arctic security were part of Nato’s routine planning rather than a direct response to threats from the United States. She said Nato allies broadly agree that the Arctic is becoming increasingly contested, due to the ambitions of Russia and China.
Opposition Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch criticized the discussions, warning that Nato itself could be at risk. She described Greenland as a “second order issue” and said the priority should be keeping the United States firmly within the alliance.
Former UK ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson said he did not believe Trump would actually deploy American troops against a Nato ally, arguing that the situation would instead be resolved through negotiation. However, he also criticized Starmer for failing to match defence commitments with concrete increases in military spending.
Media reports say British military chiefs are drawing up contingency plans for a possible Nato mission to Greenland that could involve UK soldiers, naval vessels and aircraft. Alexander said such reporting overstated what were essentially routine alliance discussions.
Downing Street sources confirmed that the Prime Minister shares concerns about Russia’s growing activity in the Arctic, and that the UK takes threats from both Russia and China in the region extremely seriously. They added that Britain continues to work closely with Nato partners to strengthen deterrence and defence in the High North.
The UK already has a presence in Arctic focused military exercises. Last year, British commandos took part in Exercise Joint Viking in Norway, and later this year 1,500 Royal Marines are set to deploy across Norway, Finland and Sweden for Exercise Cold Response.
Despite these commitments, retired senior officers have warned that the UK armed forces are overstretched. Recent policy reports have highlighted shrinking military capacity, limited equipment availability and heavy reliance on nuclear deterrence, raising questions about Britain’s ability to sustain multiple over deployments at a time of rising global tension.
