German military reconnaissance team withdraws from Greenland

ISTANBUL

A German military reconnaissance team of 15 soldiers are leaving Greenland on Sunday, news agency DPA reported.

After arriving in Greenland on Friday, a military team of 15 soldiers will leave the territory with a plane bound for Copenhagen, a spokesperson for the operational command told DPA, according to the German daily Die Welt.

Underlining that the reconnaissance results were "satisfactory to everyone," the spokesperson noted that the mission was not aborted and the reconnaissance was "completed as ordered."

It remains unclear whether Washington's tariff threats on several European countries — including Germany — played any role in the decision.

Several European countries are boosting their military presence in Greenland through exercises and reconnaissance missions, as US President Donald Trump has insisted the territory should be "in the hands of the US" to counter Russia and China.

In a fresh move, Trump said Saturday that Washington will impose 10% tariffs on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland from Feb. 1, rising to 25% in June, for their opposition to US control of Greenland.

Following the announcement, European leaders, including the presidents of the European Council and the EU Commission, vowed a coordinated response.

Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has long attracted US interest due to its strategic location and vast mineral resources, as well as alleged concerns about rising Russian and Chinese activity.