STOCKHOLM, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Sweden will patrol Arctic skies with fighter jets and send rangers to exercise on Greenland as part of NATO's Arctic Sentry mission, it said on Thursday, the latest European military contribution in response to Donald Trump's designs on Greenland.
NATO said on Wednesday it had launched the mission to strengthen its presence in the Arctic, part of an effort to defuse tensions within the alliance prompted by the U.S. president's push to acquire Greenland from Denmark.
"This strengthens deterrence, protects our common interests, and contributes to stability in a region that is crucial for Europe and transatlantic cooperation," Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a statement.
"Sweden will initially contribute to Arctic Sentry with JAS 39 Gripen aircraft in the area around Iceland and Greenland," he said.
The Swedish military said in a separate statement that an unspecified number of Swedish troops would also be present on the ground on Greenland.
"Swedish Air Force Rangers and Army Rangers will conduct exercises on Greenland for a couple of weeks," the Armed Forces said.
(Reporting by Louise Rasmussen and Johan AhlanderEditing by Anna Ringstrom and Peter Graff)
