France Could Deploy Troops to Greenland – FM

By Staff, Agencies

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot has said his country would be willing to deploy troops to Greenland, amid a spat between Denmark and the US over the Arctic island.

US President Trump revived the idea of purchasing Greenland, citing its significance for national security and allowing military force to acquire the world's largest island.

Denmark, which controls the autonomous territory, has insisted that Greenland is not for sale.

In an interview with France’s Sud Radio on Tuesday, Barrot revealed that Paris had “started discussing [troop deployment] with Denmark,” noting, however, that Copenhagen had no desire for such a mission at present.

“If Denmark calls for help, France will be there,” the diplomat vowed, insisting that the “European borders are sovereign whether it’s north, south, east and west [and]... nobody can allow themselves to mess around with our borders.”

According to the minister, during an EU foreign ministers’ meeting on Monday his counterparts from other member states also pledged their backing for Denmark, signaling similar readiness to consider troop deployments.

Barrot expressed confidence that a forcible takeover of Greenland by the US “won’t happen [as] people don’t invade EU territories.”