United Nations (United States) (AFP) – US President Donald Trump signed a security deal Tuesday with the leaders of Greenland and Denmark, cooling temperatures after his contentious calls to acquire the autonomous Danish territory. “It’s going to be a long-term, fantastic relationship,” Trump said at a signing ceremony on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. “This is tremendous for Europe and for the United States and for everybody,” he added.
Under the 10-page pact, the United States will build two military bases in southern and eastern Greenland. These will be established in Narsarsuaq in the south of the island and Mestersvig in the east, in addition to the Pituffik base it already operates in the north. The deal also reaffirmed “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark” while recognizing Greenland’s “right to self-determination.”
Since returning to the presidency in January 2025, Trump repeatedly insisted that the United States needed to control Greenland for strategic reasons, alarming NATO ally Denmark and sparking fierce pushback from the alliance. When announcing the deal on Friday, Trump said the arrangement would give America “permanent control” over security for the territory.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said her country “stands in a better place than we did yesterday” with the agreement. “As everyone knows, we live in uncertain times,” she told reporters after signing the deal. “I hope the agreement will bring more peace of mind in Greenland, because it has been a tough time,” she said. Earlier, she told Trump that his message has been clear: “You don’t want adversaries to come too close.” “I fully agree, and with this deal, they are not,” she added.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen added that Greenland matters for North American security and for transatlantic security. “This agreement reflects that we understand our responsibility and act accordingly,” he added. He later said that while the pact is a step in a good direction, “back home we need to rebuild trust, and that will be a process for us.”
The agreement blocks non-NATO, non-EU countries from strategic sectors in Greenland, in an attempt to bar US adversaries China and Russia from gaining a foothold in the Arctic. Such parties will generally not be allowed “control, significant influence, or access to non-public information that may constitute a threat to national security or public order” within sensitive sectors.
EU chief Antonio Costa welcomed the deal on Tuesday as a “positive step for transatlantic cooperation and Arctic security.” “The EU stands ready to continue working closely with Greenland, Denmark and our transatlantic partners for a peaceful, secure and prosperous Arctic,” Costa posted on X. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz similarly expressed support for the deal.
The agreement also stipulates that Greenland, home to 57,000 inhabitants, must continue to abide by the agreement even if it obtains independence from Denmark. It should also remain in or join NATO “if necessary.” Under a 1951 defense pact updated in 2004, Washington was already able to ramp up its military presence on the island provided it informed Denmark and Greenland in advance.
© 2024 AFP
