Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto dismissed the idea of sending small contingents of European troops to Greenland, calling it ineffective and symbolic amid escalating tensions over U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to acquire the Arctic territory.
Speaking Thursday, Crosetto questioned the value of deploying limited forces, saying, “What are one hundred, two hundred, or three hundred soldiers of any nationality doing? It sounds like the beginning of a joke.” He added that it’s “not a competition to send the troops around the world” and emphasized Italy’s preference for a rational, unified approach. “We asked for NATO to coordinate. We need to unite, not divide,” Crosetto stated, urging the alliance to take the lead rather than allowing fragmented national efforts.
France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and other NATO members have sent small numbers of military personnel to Greenland this week in a show of solidarity with Denmark, following Trump’s renewed demands for U.S. control to counter potential moves by Russia or China. Suggestions had arisen for Italy to join, but Rome has declined, opting instead to push for coordinated NATO action in the Arctic.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni echoed this on Friday in a letter read during the presentation of Italy’s updated Arctic policy document. She called for NATO to develop “a coordinated presence” in the region to prevent tensions and address “interference by other actors.” Meloni highlighted the Arctic’s growing importance due to new sea routes and vast energy and mineral resources, while reaffirming Italy’s observer status in the Arctic Council and commitment to international law, including the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The Italian document notes Russia’s military buildup in the Arctic and China’s efforts as a self-declared “near-Arctic state,” including interest in the Northern Sea Route and ties with Moscow. It also points to economic opportunities, such as for Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri in extreme-environment vessels, and calls for an Arctic business forum.
Crosetto reinforced the need to act within NATO and U.N. frameworks to keep the “Western world” together, describing the current bilateral deployments as something he “did not understand.”
The stance comes as European allies reinforce their presence in Greenland to support Denmark, with the White House stating such moves won’t sway Trump’s acquisition goals. Italy maintains that unity through NATO coordination is essential to avoid division in the transatlantic alliance.
