US and Denmark announce security agreement for Greenland
Agreement gives the United States long-term security rights in Greenland and bars rivals from military presence or sensitive investments.
The United States and Denmark have reached a security agreement covering Greenland, resolving a diplomatic row sparked by repeated threats from Donald Trump to seize the island. Trump said the deal will give the United States permanent control over Greenland’s security and other needs.
Key provisions and reactions
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the arrangement strengthens security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic, while stopping short of detailing the specific measures Trump referenced on social media.
Trump framed the pact as cost-neutral for the United States and a tool to block adversaries from establishing a military foothold or making sensitive investments in Greenland. "The agreement will not represent any cost for the United States and will allow them to do what is necessary to secure and defend the security of Greenland. The agreement includes a provision that no adversary of the United States can maintain a military presence in Greenland, nor make sensitive investments in Greenland without our written approval," Trump said.
The president of the Government of Greenland, Jens-Frederik Nilsen, welcomed the accord as one that "secures and strengthens the security of Greenland, Denmark and the United States," and said it respects Greenland’s interests within international cooperation.
An official at the U.S. State Department said the written text of the agreement has not yet been published but described clauses that would survive even if Greenland became independent in the future. "Under the agreement, the United States will have the right to unilaterally build additional military facilities, without the need for approval from Greenland or Denmark. The agreement includes rights for permanent access, stationing and overflights," the official said.
The United States already maintains a permanent presence of more than 100 troops at its Pituffik (Thule) base on Greenland’s northwestern edge. American Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the deal as historic and a major victory for the United States.
Photo: DPA)
