German soldiers leave Greenland after 44 hours, Bild reports

Wilfried Eckl-Dorna, Bloomberg News on Jan 18, 2026

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The German military reconnaissance team that arrived in Greenland on Friday is on its way back after a 44-hour deployment on the Arctic island, Bild newspaper reported on Sunday.

The team of 15 was due to board a flight from the capital of Nuuk at midday, according to the German newspaper, which said the soldiers had been expected to extend their original two-day stay.

The exploration “was completed, as planned,” a spokesman for the Bundeswehr Operational Command in an emailed statement, adding that weather conditions meant one station couldn’t be visited. “Nevertheless, important insights were gained that will now enable us to coordinate possible joint measures with our partners and within the NATO framework to strengthen security in the North Atlantic and the Arctic.”

Germany took the lead among several European nations sending military personnel to Greenland on an exploratory mission last week, as the countries sought to show US President Donald Trump they’re taking security matters seriously.

France, Sweden, Norway and the UK were also participating ahead of a planned training exercise.

Trump’s efforts to gain control of Greenland took another twist on Saturday, when he announced a 10% tariff from February, rising to 25% in June, on eight European nations, including Germany, for saying they would undertake token NATO military exercises there in response to US saber-rattling.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who branded Trump’s threat as “unacceptable,” will request the activation of the European Union’s anti-coercion instrument — the bloc’s most powerful retaliatory tool — in response to the new tariffs, a person close to the president said on Sunday.

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