US President Donald Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s head of government Jens-Frederik Nielsen have signed a security agreement following a prolonged period of disputes over the future of the Arctic island.
The document confirms Greenland as part of the Kingdom of Denmark and provides for an expansion of the US military presence, Sky News reports.
Under the terms of the treaty, the United States has been granted permission to establish two new military bases — near Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and in Mestersvig in the east of the island.
Donald Trump called the signing of the agreement an exceptionally important event for Europe and the United States. For her part, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stressed that the deal would strengthen shared security, deter adversaries and ensure that none of them can gain control of, or influence over, the island. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen emphasised that the document takes into account the rights and interests of the local population and reaffirms the region’s commitment to the Western alliance.
- Recently, the United States and Denmark reached a compromise on the security situation involving the island of Greenland, ending a period of instability triggered by US President Donald Trump’s desire to gain control of the semi-autonomous territory.
- Trump said at the time that the agreement would “cost the United States nothing”, while he would gain the ability to “do whatever is necessary to protect and secure Greenland”.
- Under the arrangements, no country that is a rival of the United States will be able to have a military presence on the island or invest in it without written permission from Washington.
- Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen confirmed that the official signing of the agreement would take place in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly’s high-level week. It is then to be ratified in parliament.