Germany to send reconnaissance troops to Greenland, government says

Germany will send its first soldiers to Greenland on Thursday, a government spokesperson said on Wednesday, after Sweden and Norway announced similar moves following demands by President Donald Trump for Washington to have control of the island.

Over a dozen reconnaissance troops will be deployed on Thursday, the spokesperson told Reuters.

The Bild newspaper was first to report the deployment.

Trump has repeatedly said in recent weeks that the strategically located and mineral-rich island is vital to US security, and that the United States must own it to prevent Russia or China from occupying it.

He has said all options are on the table for securing the territory, rhetoric that has severely strained relations between Europe and the US.