Web Desk (MNN): Senior Nordic diplomats have firmly dismissed US President Donald Trump’s assertions that Russian and Chinese naval vessels are operating near Greenland, according to a report by the Financial Times.
Citing officials with access to NATO intelligence briefings, the diplomats said there is no evidence of Russian or Chinese ships or submarines in the waters around Greenland in recent years.
One Nordic diplomat quoted by the Financial Times stated, “It is simply not true that the Chinese and Russians are there. I have seen the intelligence. There are no ships, no submarines,” refuting the US president’s allegations.
Another diplomat described suggestions that Greenland’s surrounding waters were “crawling” with foreign vessels as unfounded, noting that any Russian naval activity was limited to the Russian side of the Arctic.
President Trump has repeatedly claimed that Russian and Chinese vessels are active near Greenland, using this narrative to justify his stance that the United States should acquire the strategically important, mineral-rich island.
However, Danish leaders and Nordic officials have strongly denied these claims, emphasising there is no verifiable proof to support them.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen echoed this rejection earlier in the week, describing the image of foreign ships “right inside the Nuuk fjord” and large Chinese investments in Greenland as inaccurate.
Vessel tracking data from public platforms such as MarineTraffic and LSEG likewise show no presence of Chinese or Russian naval vessels near Greenland.
Greenland’s local assembly has responded to the growing diplomatic tensions by scheduling an earlier meeting to discuss how to address perceived threats from the United States.
Trump’s renewed interest in Greenland follows broader geopolitical moves, including controversial US military action in Venezuela, and has alarmed many of the island’s roughly 57,000 residents, many of whom see independence from Denmark as a long-term goal.
Denmark and its Nordic allies have made clear they reject any notion of foreign military buildup around Greenland and insist on preserving the island’s autonomy. While cooperation on Arctic security matters remains possible, all parties have pushed back against claims of immediate threats posed by Russia or China in Greenland’s waters.
