France latest to confirm Nato troop deployment after Trump says Greenland ‘very important’ for US national security – Europe live

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France's Macron calls emergency defence cabinet on Greenland, Iran

in Paris

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, called an emergency defence cabinet meeting at the Élysée at 8am this morning to discuss Donald Trump’s stance on Greenland as well as the situation in Iran.

French president Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech to French ambassadors at the Élysée Palace in Paris. Photograph: Michel Euler/EPA

In an overnight message on social media, Macron said a first group of French military personnel were already headed to Greenland to participate in an exercise organised by Denmark and Greenland.

“At Denmark’s request, I have decided that France will participate in the joint exercises organised by Denmark in Greenland,” Macron wrote. “The first French military elements are already en route. Others will follow.”

On Thursday afternoon, Macron will deliver his traditional new year’s address to French armed forces, where he could speak further about joint military exercises in Greenland.

Morning opening: Operation Convince Trump

France is the latest country to confirm a military deployment to Greenland as Denmark and allies are desperate to show US president Donald Trump that they take the Arctic security seriously and are capable of defending it if needed.

A Greenland flag flies as people walk on the day of a meeting between top US officials and the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland, in Nuuk, Greenland. Photograph: Marko Đurica/Reuters

Greenlandic deputy prime minister, Múte B. Egede, said that more soldiers were expected in the coming days, joined by “more military flights and ships” as part of hastily convened “Operation Convince Trump” “Operation Arctic Endurance.”

But Trump’s first public reaction, just hours after a high-stake meeting between Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers and senior US officials, suggested he was far to be convinced.

Talking to reported in the Oval Office, he repeated that Greenland was “very important” for the US national security, and “the problem is that there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it if Russia or China wants to occupy Greenland, but there is everything we can do.”

I will bring you all the latest from Greenland and its European allies as they are expected to confirm more deployments to the semi-autonomous territory.

I will also look at the latest from Ukraine, and across the continent.

It’s Thursday, 15 January 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.

Good morning.