Germany is considering the possibility of sending Eurofighter fighter jets, reconnaissance aircraft and naval vessels to Greenland for NATO exercises aimed at strengthening security in the Arctic, a spokesman for the country’s Defense Ministry said on Friday, Anadolu reports.

The announcement comes as a German military reconnaissance team has headed to Greenland to assess conditions on the ground for possible future exercises with the allies. of NATO in this strategically important region.

The spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, Michael Stempfle, said that the team will consider various military options in coordination with Denmark, which leads the mission.

“The question is whether the Arctic is safe and how we can contribute together with our NATO partners,” Stempfle told reporters in Berlin. “We are considering training with ‘P-8 Poseidon’ reconnaissance aircraft, the deployment of frigates or other naval units for maritime surveillance and, theoretically, the deployment of ‘Eurofighter’ aircraft”.

The reconnaissance mission is led by Denmark and includes the participation of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Britain, France and the Netherlands. Germany has sent more than a dozen military personnel, including logistics experts from various branches.

Stempfle said the team will analyze local conditions and difficult weather patterns to determine what kind of exercises can take place on land, at sea and in the air. “When you think about what exercises can be done there — at sea, on land, in the air — you have to take into account the local conditions, and that’s exactly what needs to happen,” he said.

Asked if the mission could lead to permanent deployment of forces, Stempfle said it’s still too early for such assessments.

“It’s too early to judge whether it’s about stationing,” he said. “As far as I know, right now it’s mainly about assessing conditions on the ground, then discussions about exercises within NATO with our partners, and everything else can only be said after talks on the ground and further discussions take place in the coming weeks.”

The Danish-led plans to increase the military presence and conduct exercises in Greenland come at a time of heightened tensions with the US administration.

President Donald Trump has long insisted that The US “needs Greenland” and has not ruled out the use of military force to achieve this objective. Talks on the crisis held Wednesday at the White House between senior US officials and the Danish and Greenlandic leaders failed to resolve the dispute.

Source: prizrenpost