The United States and Denmark have reached a deal on Greenland's security, easing tensions that arose after President Trump threatened to seize the semi-autonomous Danish territory by force. According to President Trump, the agreement will grant the US "permanent control over security, and all other needs" in Greenland. The deal is expected to be signed next week at the UN General Assembly.
The leaders of Denmark and Greenland have welcomed the agreement, stating that it will "strengthen security" in the region. Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the deal "strengthens our common security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic area" while also recognising "the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom and the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination". Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also expressed satisfaction with the agreement.
NATO has welcomed the deal, saying it will "help advance security, stability and cooperation in this vital region". A NATO spokesperson stated that the agreement will promote stability in the region. The deal comes after months of threats by President Trump to "take" Greenland over national security concerns, citing its strategic location for defence purposes and its mineral wealth.
President Trump claimed that the deal came with "no cost to the United States" and would grant it the ability "to do what is necessary" to "secure and defend the security of Greenland". He also stated that the agreement includes a rule that no US adversary could maintain a military presence in Greenland or "make sensitive investments in Greenland, without our express written approval".
An unnamed US State Department official outlined the deal, stating that it would not expire even if Greenland became an independent country in the future. The official added that under the deal, the US has unilateral power to build additional military structures with no approval needed from Greenland or Denmark. The agreement also bans non-NATO countries from building bases in Greenland.
The agreement has been met with cautious optimism in Greenland, with some politicians expressing relief that the crisis has been brought to an end. MP Naaja Nathanielsen wrote on social media that it was "news we have all been hoping for", but added that it was "absolutely crucial that any agreement preserves our right to self-determination". Former Greenlandic politician Aaja Chemnitz also expressed scepticism, saying she had "no confidence in Trump".
The text of the agreement has not been published, but it is expected to have significant implications for the region. The deal is seen as a quiet but significant triumph for Denmark's diplomacy, with some Danish media interpreting it as a victory for the country's diplomacy.
Key points
- The US and Denmark have reached a deal on Greenland's security, easing tensions that arose after President Trump's threats to seize the semi-autonomous Danish territory by force.
- The agreement will grant the US "permanent control over security, and all other needs" in Greenland.
- The deal has been welcomed by NATO, Denmark, and Greenland, but has been met with cautious optimism in Greenland.
