The United States, Denmark and Greenland have reached a security agreement that would allow Washington to expand its military presence on the Arctic island while restricting military bases and certain sensitive investments by countries outside NATO, according to US and Danish statements reported by Reuters.
US President Donald Trump said the agreement would give the United States permanent access, basing and overflight rights in Greenland. He also said countries considered adversaries would not be allowed to make sensitive investments without US approval. The exact scope of those provisions has not yet been fully disclosed.
The agreement represents a significant development in Arctic security, an area that has become increasingly important because of its strategic location. Greenland already hosts the US military’s Pituffik Space Base, which supports missile warning, space surveillance and other strategic activities.
According to Reuters, the new arrangement does not transfer ownership of Greenland to the United States. Greenland remains an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, while Greenlandic and Danish officials have emphasized that the island’s sovereignty and self determination remain intact.
The Danish government has said the agreement is intended to strengthen security in the North Atlantic and Arctic regions. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has also said the arrangement recognizes Greenland’s interests and its role in international cooperation.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the agreement addresses Washington’s national security concerns and would keep Greenland within North America’s strategic defense area. A US official said non-NATO countries would be barred from establishing military bases on the island.
However, important details remain unclear, including whether additional US bases will actually be constructed. The agreement is expected to be formally signed during the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week.
The deal comes after months of tension over Trump’s earlier calls for greater US control of Greenland. Danish and Greenlandic officials have continued to emphasize that Greenland’s political status and sovereignty remain unchanged.
