US Army Poorly Prepared for Arctic Operations: Finnish Troops Forced Them to Surrender During Exercises in Norway

Despite Trump’s statements about his intentions to “protect” Greenland, the US Army has limited capabilities for operations in the Arctic. In addition, the US military lags behind Scandinavian countries and the UK in terms of training for operations in cold climates.

This was reported by The Times.

As noted in the publication, the US has limited military resources and experience for operations in the Arctic. It is the European NATO allies, primarily the Scandinavian countries and the UK, that have troops capable of operating effectively in this region.

One of the publication’s sources in military circles said that during NATO’s annual winter exercises — Joint Viking — in northern Norway in 2025, American troops “encountered difficulties.”

The organizers of the exercises were forced to ask Finnish reservists, who were playing the role of the enemy, to go easier on the Americans.

“The Finns had to be told to stop beating up on the Americans because it was humiliating and demoralizing,” the source said.

The US also depends on Finland for advanced icebreaker fleet technology. In particular, the US has ordered 11 icebreakers from Finland, four of which will be built in Finnish shipyards and the rest in the US.

This scheme should allow American shipbuilders to gain experience from their Finnish partners and gradually transfer production to shipyards in the US.

“The Europeans have the know-how. If Trump wants to protect the region, he is choosing the wrong path by irritating his Arctic allies,” said another source in military circles.

“There is no immediate military threat, but Greenland is rich in minerals. Everyone wants a piece of the pie, so there are long-term security and commercial risks that need to be managed. NATO has a good strategy for the use of forces that can be expanded if necessary, but the role and purpose must be agreed upon,” said General Sir James Everett, former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

According to Trump, the US has reached agreements on full and indefinite military access to Greenland within the framework agreement with NATO. The announcement of the framework agreement came after Trump backed down from previous threats to impose tariffs and ruled out the possibility of a military takeover of Greenland.