Danish soldiers flown to Greenland in January were prepared to blow up key airport runways over fears that US President Donald Trump could invade the Arctic island, Denmark's public broadcaster DR says.
Citing sources in the Danish government and military, and also among European allies, DR says blood supplies were also brought in to treat the wounded in the event of fighting.
The Financial Times reported that two European officials later confirmed the report. The Danish defence ministry told the BBC it 'has no comment'.
A senior Danish military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, conveyed to the BBC that 'only a limited number of people would have been aware of the operation for security reasons'.
Both the US and Denmark are NATO members, and the issue of Greenland - a semi-autonomous part of Denmark - has deeply divided Washington and its European allies.
Trump has repeatedly said he wanted to annex Greenland during his second presidential term. Greenland's leader and Denmark have repeatedly rejected his demands to acquire the island.
DR based its report on twelve sources from the top ranks of the Danish government and military, as well as allies in France and Germany.
Illustrative of rising tensions, sources stated that Copenhagen sought support from Paris, Berlin, and Nordic nations to showcase a formidable European front against Trump’s audacious claims.
The scenario became increasingly serious on January 3 when elite US forces executed a swift operation in Venezuela, which alarmed Danish officials regarding US intentions in Greenland.
In the aftermath, military representatives from Denmark, along with French, German, Norwegian, and Swedish forces were deployed to Greenland, under the guise of military exercises dubbed Operation Arctic Endurance. However, the intention was to prepare for a possible US invasion.
Sources indicated a decision was reached to blow up runways in Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq should the US attempt to land there, raising the stakes in an already precarious alliance.
Furthermore, Trump’s remarks during the World Economic Forum in Davos insisted he did not want to resort to force, but the undertones of a strategic desire remained evident as he continued stressing the national security significance of Greenland.
Amidst the back-and-forth, a Danish defense source noted that any attempt for the US to acquire Greenland would require a substantial cost, alluding to the potential for conflict.
This development underscores the complexities of geopolitics within NATO amidst the looming shadows of unpredictability from powerful member states and their leaders.
