Canada and Denmark Strengthen Arctic Defence Ties Amidst U.S. Concerns
Canada and Denmark have formalized a deepened defence cooperation agreement, a move spurred by lingering anxieties over potential U.S. Interest in Greenland. The agreement, signed on , aims to bolster security in the Arctic region, focusing on enhanced surveillance and joint military operations.
The pact was signed by Canadian Defence Minister David McGuinty on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. Originally, Prime Minister Mark Carney was scheduled to participate in a bilateral meeting with his Danish counterpart, Mette Frederiksen, but he remained in Canada following a school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.
Denmark has been proactively working to reinforce the defence capabilities of Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, in response to previous overtures from the United States regarding potential annexation. The new agreement with Canada represents a significant step in coordinating those efforts.
“Canada is an Arctic nation — and we will defend the North,” McGuinty stated following the signing ceremony in Munich. The agreement builds upon existing commitments under NATO’s Article 5, which stipulates collective defence, but focuses on practical collaboration in the Arctic theatre.
Alongside the bilateral agreement, NATO this week launched the “Arctic Sentry” initiative, designed to coordinate military exercises and enhance the alliance’s overall response capabilities in the region. Canada has urged NATO to make the Arctic Sentry initiative a permanent fixture, signalling the growing importance placed on Arctic security.
The timing of this strengthened cooperation is particularly noteworthy given the previous administration in the United States, under former President Trump, publicly floated the possibility of purchasing Greenland. While the current U.S. Administration has not repeated those overtures, the memory of those discussions continues to influence security planning in both Canada and Denmark.
The Canada-Denmark Defence Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed in the presence of Faroese counterpart Sirið Stenberg and Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt, underscoring the inclusive nature of the security partnership. The agreement focuses on practical collaboration, including joint surveillance activities and coordinated military exercises, designed to enhance situational awareness and response capabilities in the Arctic.
The agreement does not represent a departure from existing NATO commitments, but rather a focused effort to strengthen bilateral cooperation within the broader framework of Arctic security. It reflects a shared understanding between Canada and Denmark of the increasing strategic importance of the Arctic region and the need for a coordinated response to potential challenges.
The signing of this agreement comes as Arctic nations are increasingly focused on the region due to factors such as climate change, which is opening up new shipping routes and increasing access to natural resources, and growing geopolitical competition. The Canadian government has consistently emphasized its commitment to defending its Arctic sovereignty and protecting the interests of its northern communities.
