Group of 15 Bundeswehr soldiers unexpectedly left early Greenland and took off from the capital of the island Nuuk. The departure was recorded by a German publication BILDwhich reported that officers and soldiers were boarding an Icelandair flight.
The mission ended ahead of schedule, while There were no official statements from Berlin. According to the publication, the order to return came from Germany early in the morning, after which all previously scheduled meetings and events were urgently cancelled.
Just the day before, the head of the group Stefan Pauli stated that the military was awaiting a political decision from Berlin on possible further steps. However, the reasons for the sudden departure were never explained.
According to one version, the solution may be related to worsening situation around Greenland and harsh trade threats from the US President Donald Trump. There is no official confirmation of this version, but the timing coincides with new American measures against EU attracted the attention of observers.
Military personnel from Germany had arrived on the island just a few days earlier as part of NATO missions by invitation Denmarkamid increasing tensions over the status and security of Greenland.
In parallel with this, Washington sharply escalated trade conflict with Europe. From February 1, the United States will introduce an additional duty on 10% on imports from EU countries on top of the already existing basic tariff in 15%. In his statements, Trump directly linked this decision to the position of European countries opposing the transfer of Greenland to US control.
For Germany this is a particularly sensitive blow. The US remains the largest trading partner countries with export volumes of approx. 157 billion euros per year. Key supply items are automobiles, mechanical engineering, chemical and pharmaceutical products.
Economists warn that the new tariffs come on top of existing restrictions, including special duties up to 50% for steel and aluminum. Those in the most vulnerable position will be auto industry and metallurgywhich are already losing their position in the American market.
According to experts, only a new 10 percent tariff could reduce German exports to the United States by 5–10%which is equivalent to losses up to 15 billion euros per year.
IN European Commission retaliatory measures are already being discussed, including mirror tariffs on American goods and services. Head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen warned that further escalation undermines transatlantic relations and could trigger a dangerous economic spiral.
Against this background, the sudden and unexplained departure of the German military from Greenland is perceived not as an isolated episode, but as part of wider political-economic pressurein which military and commercial instruments are used in parallel.
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