"German troops were deployed to Nuuk in Greenland on Saturday to participate in military exercises organised by several European nations, amid the ongoing dispute between Denmark and the United States over the territory. Footage shows service members disembarking from an aircraft and then boarding a bus. Earlier on Wednesday Berlin announced that it would deploy 13 servicemen to participate in the drills. Several other European countries, including Denmark and France, have sent small contingents of troops to Greenland as part of NATO exercises to ensure readiness and protect Greenlandic sovereignty. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland is essential to US national and global security. The Danish government, which has jurisdiction over the autonomous territory of Greenland, has firmly rejected any proposal to sell the territory. In response to rising tensions and increased rhetoric, European allies have taken some limited steps to show support for Denmark's sovereignty. These steps include recent and modest deployments that officials have described as more symbolic and defensive than a permanent military increase. "