Germany Plans to Deploy Four Eurofighter Jets to NATO Arctic Mission
Speaking on the sidelines of an EU defense ministers meeting in Brussels, Pistorius said that NATO defense ministers are scheduled to review the operation and each nation’s contributions during Thursday discussions.
"The German Armed Forces will participate with four Eurofighter jets and the corresponding air-to-air refueling capabilities in the first stage," he said. "What happens beyond that will be agreed upon among NATO partners tomorrow," he added.
Pressed on whether the mission responds to genuine security needs or is aimed at appeasing the US amid recent disputes over Denmark's Arctic territory of Greenland, Pistorius underlined Germany's enduring role in Arctic security.
"And I have always said, since I took office, that the Arctic and the High North plays an important role for the security of Europe and North America," he noted. “Because the GIUK Gap between Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom is of central importance for routes into and out of the North Atlantic, including for Russian submarines."
NATO's Allied Command Operations launched the Arctic Sentry exercise Wednesday to strengthen the alliance’s presence in the Arctic and High North, according to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE).
The operation follows a meeting in Davos, Switzerland, between US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, where both leaders agreed the alliance should take a more proactive role in defending the region amid Russia's military maneuvers and China’s growing interest.
In recent months, Trump reignited his focus on US control over Greenland, citing security concerns about Russia and China. He had threatened sanctions against European nations opposing the move.
Those threats were later dropped after Trump met with Rutte, establishing a framework for potential agreements covering Greenland and the broader Arctic, with follow-up talks planned between the US, Denmark, and Greenland.
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