NATO Boosts Arctic Military Presence After Trump Meeting

New 'Arctic Sentry' exercises aim to counter growing Russian and Chinese influence in the region.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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NATO announced a new military effort called 'Arctic Sentry' to enhance its defensive capabilities in the Arctic region. The series of exercises, which include Denmark's Arctic Endurance and Norway's Cold Response drills, come after a meeting between NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and former President Donald Trump, where they agreed NATO should take more responsibility for defending its own territory.

Why it matters

The Arctic, including Greenland, has been a point of strategic concern for the U.S. as it aims to secure dominance in the Western Hemisphere and counter foreign adversaries like Russia and China. The new NATO military exercises are intended to maintain stability and security in this environmentally and geopolitically crucial region.

The details

The 'Arctic Sentry' effort will be coordinated by NATO's Joint Force Command Norfolk in Virginia, which the alliance says serves as a 'bridge between North America and Europe' to defend the 'strategic approaches between the two continents'. In addition, the UK has announced it will increase its troop deployment in Norway from 1,000 to 2,000 over the next three years due to concerns about Russia's influence in the region amid the war in Ukraine.

  • The new 'Arctic Sentry' military exercises were announced on February 11, 2026.
  • The meeting between NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and former President Donald Trump took place in January 2026 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The players

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 European and North American countries.

Mark Rutte

The Secretary General of NATO.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States.

Alexus Grynkewich

A U.S. Air Force General who serves as the Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

Lars Løkke Rasmussen

The Danish Foreign Affairs Minister.

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What they’re saying

“'Arctic Sentry underscores the Alliance's commitment to safeguard its members and maintain stability in one of the world's most strategically significant and environmentally challenging areas. It will leverage NATO's strength to protect our territory and ensure the Arctic and High North remains secure.'”

— Alexus Grynkewich, U.S. Air Force General, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (denvergazette.com)

“'A deal between the United States and European nations over Greenland is in the works, although Danish Foreign Affairs Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said no solution has been reached yet.'”

— Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Danish Foreign Affairs Minister (denvergazette.com)

What’s next

The UK plans to increase its troop deployment in Norway from 1,000 to 2,000 over the next three years as part of the broader NATO effort to bolster security in the Arctic region.

The takeaway

The new 'Arctic Sentry' military exercises demonstrate NATO's commitment to safeguarding its members' interests and maintaining stability in the strategically important and environmentally challenging Arctic region, which has become a point of geopolitical competition between the West and adversaries like Russia and China.