“In Greenland, conscripts will be deployed alongside professional soldiers and will fully participate in all missions,” Bruus wrote in response to a parliamentary interpellation.
He added that part of the political agreement on the extension of military service for 11 months is that conscripts can be involved in operational tasks.
“This also applies to Greenland. That is why some of those who entered the military service in February, after completing basic training, will go to Greenland, where they will participate in the fulfillment of the tasks that we have to provide there,” said the Danish Defense Minister, according to the public broadcaster DR, adding that the group will leave at the end of July and spend one month in Greenland. At the same time, he did not specify how many conscripts should be involved.
According to him, they will perform tasks in Greenland, such as guarding objects, and will also participate in the military exercise Arctic Endurance, aimed at strengthening Denmark’s presence in Greenland and the Arctic region.
In 2025, US Vice President JD Vance accused Denmark of neglecting the security of its autonomous territory. Even at the beginning of this year, Donald Trump, pointing to US security interests, refused to rule out the use of force to “acquire” the Arctic island, but the dispute later subsided.
During Russia’s war against Ukraine, Denmark extended compulsory military service from four to 11 months and made it available to women. Both men and women can join the army voluntarily, and the remaining positions are filled based on a gender-neutral lottery of conscripts.
With the new duration of military service, according to Bruus, conscripts are trained so that they can participate in the execution of the missions of the armed forces. In Greenland, conscripts will be employed in tasks that do not require longer specialized training.
