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NATO weighs proposal to Trump for expanding bloc’s Arctic presence amid his Greenland push

According to the sources, the initiative is currently being discussed informally

BERLIN, January 31. /TASS/. NATO could make a proposal to US President Donald Trump for a significant expansion of the alliance's military presence in the Arctic amid his push for the US to take control over Greenland, the DPA news agency reported, citing NATO sources.

According to the sources, the initiative is currently being discussed informally. The idea aims to ease the tensions around Greenland that arose due to Trump's interest in the island. By expanding the alliance's Arctic presence, with US participation, NATO could address US security interests in the region, the report said.

"Trump's concerns about Greenland are seen as valid, the sources say, particularly in light of Russian and Chinese activities in the region," DPA reported.

According to DPA, the potential expansion could be based on defense plans from 2023. The classified plans outline measures to bolster deterrence and defense capabilities in the far north, the report said.

According to DPA, the success of NATO's initiative will depend on whether Trump is genuinely driven by security concerns. If he is also interested in Greenland’s raw material deposits, the initiative could be doomed to failure.

Earlier on Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that President Donald Trump's interest in Greenland is linked to the importance of the Arctic to global trade and security. According to Rubio, China could try to use Greenland as a foothold to advance its interests in the Arctic, just like it did in other regions.

Trump stated on January 7 that Greenland should become part of the US and threatened to slap high trade tariffs on Denmark if it doesn’t give up the island. He suggested during his first presidential term that the US could buy Greenland. Both Greenlandic and Danish officials dismissed the proposal.

Greenland is part of Denmark as an autonomous territory. In 1951, Washington and Copenhagen signed the Greenland Defense Treaty, agreeing that the US will defend the island from external aggression. The island hosts a US base, Pituffik Space Base, which plays a role in the missile warning system and surveillance of the Arctic region.

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