UK in talks with NATO to counter Russia, China in Arctic

Britain is discussing with NATO allies how it can help beef up security in the Arctic to counter threats from Russia and China, a Government minister said on Sunday. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the talks are “business as usual” rather than a response to recent threats by US President Donald Trump to take over Greenland. Trump said Friday that he would like to make a deal to acquire Greenland, a semiautonomous region of NATO ally Denmark, to prevent Russia or China from taking it over.

 “We are going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not,” Trump said Friday. Greenland, with a population of around 57,000, is defended by Denmark, whose military is dwarfed by that of the US, which has a military base on the island. Denmark’s prime minister has warned that a takeover would threaten NATO. Tensions have grown between the US and Denmark since the Trump administration renewed its warnings against Greenland.