Swedish soldiers in Greenland have entered Sweden’s domestic debate after Social Democratic leader and former prime minister Magdalena Andersson said she is open to a stronger military presence on the Arctic island, “including Swedish soldiers”, as long as it is something Denmark and Greenland ask for.
Andersson’s comments, reported by Dagens ETC and relayed by SVT during the annual Folk och Försvar security conference in Sälen, come as Nordic governments face renewed pressure linked to USA President Donald Trump’s latest remarks about Greenland and Denmark.
Swedish soldiers in Greenland and the SSU proposal
The immediate trigger was a proposal by the Social Democratic youth wing SSU to consider sending EU troops to Greenland as a deterrent signal. Andersson endorsed the idea in principle, saying she is “not alien” to increased military presence on Greenland and that this “of course also applies to Swedish soldiers”, according to SVT’s live coverage from Sälen.
Andersson framed the issue as part of broader European solidarity: a need for Sweden and other European countries to stand behind Greenland and Denmark after Washington’s recent statements.
The Swedish government’s line: support Denmark, but no request for troops
Sweden’s centre-right government has signalled strong political backing for Denmark while stressing that no operational discussion exists about Swedish troops on the island.
Prime minister Ulf Kristersson said that Denmark “has never expressed a wish” for Swedish soldiers in Greenland and that Sweden has so far done “in detail” what Denmark has asked for. He added that if a request were to come, Stockholm would “of course” consider it, but that the question has not been raised by Copenhagen.
In parallel, Kristersson has underlined that he is in frequent contact with Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen, and has repeated Sweden’s full support for Denmark and Greenland as talks with the USA are expected to continue.
A Nordic message on international law and deterrence in the Arctic
In a joint statement published by Sweden’s government, the Nordic foreign ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden said security in the Arctic rests on the UN Charter and international law, including the “inviolability of borders”. They added that the Nordic countries support NATO increasing its presence and vigilance in the region.
The statement is also a way of setting a common baseline: deterrence and defence may need strengthening, but through coordinated frameworks and with respect for sovereignty.
Why the debate matters in Sweden and the EU
The question of Swedish participation in an EU or multinational presence in Greenland reflects a wider shift in European security policy: the expectation that European countries should be able to act more decisively in their own neighbourhood, including the Arctic, while still treating the transatlantic relationship as central.
At the same time, Swedish officials are signalling caution. For Stockholm, a troop discussion without an explicit Danish-Greenlandic request risks complicating Nordic unity precisely when Sweden is trying to show reliability as a NATO ally and as a close partner of Denmark.
