In Brussels, there are proposals to station European troops in Greenland.

The highest military official of the European Union has proposed to station European soldiers in Greenland – including to counteract the activities of Russia and China in the Arctic, reports moscowtimes.eu.

The suggestion from Robert Brieger, the head of the EU Military Committee, came amid statements from American President Donald Trump, who continues to insist on the need to take control of Greenland.

"In my opinion, it would be entirely logical not only to have American troops in Greenland, as is currently the case, but also to consider the possibility of deploying EU soldiers there," the official stated in a comment to the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag. "This would send a strong signal and could contribute to stability in the region."

The European Union, like the United States, also has a military base on the island and thus has its own interests, Brieger noted. He mentioned Greenland's significant strategic position and its rich natural resources.

Combined with the melting ice due to climate change, these factors "create a certain potential for tension in relations with Russia and possibly China," he added.

Trump had proposed buying Greenland from Denmark during his first presidency. In January, he refused to rule out the use of military or economic force to gain control over it and the Panama Canal. He also threatened Denmark with "very high" tariffs if it did not agree to transfer Greenland.

The world's largest island has become a focal point in geopolitical and geo-economic competition, particularly due to climate change, notes Professor Jeff Dabelko, who studies ecology and security at Ohio State University.

The US Geological Survey estimates that Greenland has reserves of rare earth metals totaling 1.5 million tons, whereas the United States itself has only 1.8 million tons.

On Saturday, Trump told reporters that he believes Washington will indeed gain control over Greenland.

"I think we will get it," he said, adding that the island's 57,000 residents "want to be with us."

Background. As reported, Trump had a tough conversation with Prime Minister Frederiksen regarding the purchase of Greenland. He "threatened specific economic measures, such as targeted tariffs."

The Greenlanders "do not want to be Americans," Prime Minister Múte Egede previously stated. Mette Frederiksen has also declared that "Greenland is not for sale and will not be sold."