Denmark and Greenland have said a new agreement with the United States will not undermine Greenland’s sovereignty, following comments by U.S. President Donald Trump that Washington would gain permanent control over the island’s security.
The United States, Denmark and Greenland announced on Friday that they had reached an agreement allowing the U.S. to establish a significant military presence in Greenland while preventing rival countries from setting up military bases or making sensitive investments on the Arctic island.
However, the full details of the agreement have not yet been made public. It remains unclear how extensive the U.S. military presence will be or whether Washington would receive any formal authority over Greenland’s foreign policy or natural resources.
The agreement is expected to be formally signed during the United Nations General Assembly next week. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said the deal could help end months of uncertainty and strengthen security in the Arctic and North Atlantic.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen welcomed the agreement, saying it recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Danish Kingdom as well as the Greenlandic people’s right to self-determination.
Trump, however, said the agreement would give the United States permanent control over Greenland’s security and other security-related needs. He also said no U.S. adversary would be allowed to establish a military presence or make sensitive investments on the island without Washington’s approval.
The agreement follows months of diplomatic tensions after Trump repeatedly called for greater U.S. control of Greenland, prompting negotiations between Washington, Copenhagen and Nuuk.
NATO welcomed the agreement, saying it could contribute to security, stability and cooperation in the strategically important Arctic and North Atlantic regions.
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