US President Donald Trump is exaggerating the threats from Russia and China against Greenland. This is claimed by Sweden’s Minister of Defence, Pål Jonson (M).
In an interview with The Telegraph, Sweden’s Defence Minister rejects Trump’s claims that Greenland is “covered by Russian and Chinese ships everywhere.”
“If you claim that Greenland is being flooded by Russian and Chinese vessels, that is an exaggeration according to the assessments we make for the region,” says Jonson.
The Swedish Defence Minister comments that Russian activity in the Arctic is not at the same level today as it was during the Cold War days, even though Russia would like to return to that level. He also notes that the increase in Chinese activity in the region is mainly of a civilian nature.
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“I don’t think it should be exaggerated; it’s mainly about research vessels,” he says.
Arctic Endurance
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) announced that a few Swedish officers have been sent to Greenland. The officers are part of a group of soldiers from allied countries; the others are Norway, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France; who have been sent to the Arctic island at Denmark’s request.
Some US media outlets have mocked the small group of soldiers. But Sweden’s Supreme Commander Michael Claesson points out in a post on X that the Swedish military personnel were sent there to scout ahead of a Danish-led exercise named “Arctic Endurance.”
“How, where, when, and which units can participate will be a later question,” writes the Supreme Commander, adding that “belittling remarks about the number of individuals means I must clarify the purpose. That is, to see how we can take part in the Danish-led exercise series Arctic Endurance.”
It is unclear what Arctic Endurance, that is, Arktisk uthållighet, is as an exercise. The US does not appear to have been invited, and there are indications that it is being put together outside of the usual NATO command structure.
There is no information about the exercise on either the Danish Defence Forces’ or NATO’s website.
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