off claims on Greenland. "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," said US General Alexus Grynkewich, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe. NATO said the "multi-domain activity" would initially pull together work already being carried out by alliance members in the region such as upcoming exercises by Norway and Denmark.

Denmark's defence minister said his country would contribute "substantially" to the newly-launched NATO mission, and Germany said it would send an initial four eurofighter jets to take part. Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre (833-mile) border with Russia, hailed the NATO initiative as strengthening security in the Arctic. But it remained unclear whether many additional military capabilities would be deployed to the region under the new mission. "What is really new about it is that for the first time now, we will bring everything we do in the Arctic together under one command," NATO chief Mark Rutte said ahead of a meeting of alliance defence ministers. "We will also be able to assess what gaps there are, which we have to fill and of course we will fill them." Trump's threats against Greenland last month -- which he based on an alleged threat by Russia and China in the Arctic -- plunged the transatlantic alliance into its deepest crisis in years. (Bssnews)