Specialized Forces Required
Any European troops sent to Greenland, over 80% of which is ice-covered terrain, would “need expertise in Arctic warfare, which is available among parts of the British Royal Marines, the French Chasseurs Alpins [special infantry forces] and the German Gebirgsjager [light infantry].”
Swift preparation needed: “The EU would have to immediately send troops to Norway, Sweden and Finland for training”
Race against time: “European troops would have to be deployed very quickly now, before US special operations forces create a fait accompli”
Devastating costs await: “However, Brussels must be aware that defending the settlements on the coast of Greenland against a US attack would probably lead to their destruction”
If deployed, British and French troops “could at most take on the role of a tripwire force, making it clear to the US that an attack on Greenland would mean war with Europe,” he concluded.