The United States plans to open two military bases in Greenland as part of agreements with Denmark and Greenland, Reuters reports.
The agreement is scheduled to be signed at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Tuesday. However, its contents have not yet been officially announced.
Recommended stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
The move follows months of tense conflict between Denmark and Greenland, after US President Donald Trump repeatedly said Washington intended to annex the autonomous Danish territory due to its location in the Arctic Circle and strategically important mineral resources, including rare earth metals.
In a diplomatic spat that arose last year, President Trump refused to rule out a military invasion, sparking fear among Greenlanders, who, according to polls, mostly reject U.S. rule.
Tensions reached a peak in January, when European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance signaled military readiness and began deploying more troops to the island to deter Washington.
After a meeting with NATO chief Mark Rutte, Trump backtracked, saying he would not invade the island but would instead work toward an agreement. It also withdrew its threat to impose 10% trade tariffs on eight European countries that opposed U.S. efforts to acquire Greenland.
Greenland and Denmark then began negotiations with the United States to defuse the crisis. Here’s what we know:
What is the US-Greenland agreement?
On Friday, US President Donald Trump claimed he had reached an agreement with Denmark that would grant the US “permanent control” over Greenland’s security and “all other needs.”
Trump said the deal would give the United States veto power to prevent “adversaries” from establishing a military presence in Greenland or making “sensitive investments” without Greenland’s approval.
A US State Department official quoted by the BBC clarified that this means non-NATO countries will no longer be able to establish bases in Greenland and that “investments in Greenland that could threaten the United States” will be prohibited.
And on Monday, news surfaced about two new US military bases.
Denmark and Greenland confirmed over the weekend that they had reached an agreement with the United States, expected to be announced this week, but insisted it did not violate Greenland’s sovereignty.
“This agreement recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country and the right of Greenlanders to self-determination,” Greenland Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen said in a Facebook post.
On Monday, ahead of the signing of the agreement, Nielsen added: “This will be an important moment after a difficult period… We look forward to signing the agreement and taking the next steps with a clear starting point of mutual interest, security and respect for our country.”
Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen also sounded optimistic in a statement over the weekend.
“We hope that these uncertain times will give way to a binding agreement that strengthens the security of the Arctic and North Atlantic, and thereby strengthens the common security within NATO Europe, while respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark,” Rasmussen said.
Where will the two new locations be?
Under a future agreement, the United States reportedly plans to re-establish a Cold War-era military base in southern Greenland and another on its east coast.
The first base will be located in Narsarsuaq, a settlement in southern Greenland whose population has dwindled to a few dozen people since the US closed the Bluey West One military base, also known as Narsarsuaq Air Base and Narsarsuaq Airport, in 1958.
The second base will be located in Meesterswig, a military outpost in the northeast of the territory currently used by Denmark’s special forces, the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol.
The United States maintained a strong military presence on the island during the Cold War, when American nuclear bombers and nuclear early warning systems were based there. Approximately 150 troops are permanently stationed at the Pitufik Cosmodrome in the north and monitor missiles.
What was the US reaction to the agreement?
President Trump has argued that seizing control of the island, which is on the most direct route between North America and Europe, is necessary to prevent Russia and China from increasing their presence in the Arctic near the U.S. northern border.
Analysts say neither country has much influence in the region. Nevertheless, the proposed agreement stipulates that adversaries of the United States cannot possess bases in Greenland as well.
Russia responded to the agreement by saying it was not involved in the talks.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday: “The issue of cooperation in the Arctic is not on the agenda at the moment. The United States and other Arctic states refuse to cooperate with Russia.”
Meanwhile, China has not commented.
Earlier over the weekend, a NATO spokesperson told reporters that the alliance supported the agreement and that it would “help promote security, stability and cooperation in this important region.”
