US, Denmark, and Greenland have signed a defence deal that permits Washington to build two new military bases in the Arctic territory, while reaffirming Copenhagen’s sovereignty and Greenland’s self‑determination.
The ceremony took place before the UN General Assembly in New York, where US President Donald Trump declared that the United States would immediately start work on a large military presence at designated locations in Greenland. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen hailed the agreement as a win for the US, Denmark and Greenland – and for Europe and NATO. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens‑Frederik Nielsen described it as a "win‑win‑win" for all parties involved.
The commercial treaty builds on a 1951 defence agreement and adds a clause allowing the United States to establish an additional Defence Area at Narsarsuaq – a former civilian airport with a deep‑water runway – and Mestersvig, a remote outpost used by a Danish naval dog‑sled unit. The plans remain subject to mutual technical agreement and parliamentary approval in both Denmark and Greenland. Washington already maintains the Pituffik Space Base in Greenland’s north‑west, and the new accord would enable the U.S. to modernise and expand activities there as well.
The treaty explicitly bars any non‑NATO state from establishing military bases or persistent forces on the island, ensuring that Greenland remains under the protection of the Trans‑Atlantic alliance. Although Trump had previously suggested annexing Greenland, the signed deal acknowledges that no territory will be ceded – recognition of Denmark’s sovereignty and Greenland’s right to self‑determination remain intact.
What the deal means for the Arctic is significant: a larger U.S. footprint in a region of growing strategic importance, while respecting the political status of Greenland. Critics have noted the treaty still requires final approval, but at the signing Trump praised the agreement as "a tremendous relationship, a secure one" that benefits both the United States and Europe. For Greenland, the pact brings relief after months of political tension, reaffirming the island’s role in the NATO framework and its potential future independence. Read the full story on BBC News.
