The US President Donald Trump said the US had reached an agreement with Denmark that gives the country “permanent security control” over Greenland. However, some analysts have said the deal is similar to the current US agreement on Greenland, which has been in place since the 1950s.
Sky News writes about this.
Trump added that the agreement does not involve any costs for Washington. He added that the US will immediately begin expanding its military presence in Greenland.
The Danish government said that the governments of the three countries plan to sign an agreement "on strengthening security in the Arctic" next week at the UN General Assembly. The document recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Denmark, as well as the right of the inhabitants of Greenland to self-determination. It also added that under the terms of the agreement, Denmark will continue to maintain sovereignty and overall control over the island.
The US already has a military base in northwestern Greenland, Pituffik. The base monitors missile launches, space, and operates missile defense systems.
According to defense and security analyst Elizabeth Brough, the document, in effect since 1951, allows the US to place any military base on the island.
"The only addition [in the new agreement] is a promise that no other foreign country will be allowed to establish military bases there. But I wonder which countries those would be and whether that would happen at all," she added.
Greenland and the USA
In December 2024, Trump declared that “possession and control of the largest island in the world — Greenland — is an absolute necessity” for US national security. He had said he was interested in buying the island during his first term as president. He has since reiterated his desire to acquire the island.
In response, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called on the US president to “stop the threats”. Denmark decided to significantly increase defense spending on the island and changed its royal coat of arms to more prominently feature the symbols of Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
Polls show that almost 85% of Greenlanders are against its secession from the Kingdom of Denmark and joining the United States. In November, the Danish Foreign Ministry said it had launched a “night watch” to monitor Donald Trump’s statements and actions while Copenhagen slept.
Reuters reported on January 8 that the Trump administration was discussing the possibility of paying Greenlanders between $10 000 and $100 000 to join the United States. On January 13, Republican Congressman Randy Fine introduced a bill in the US House of Representatives that would annex Greenland and make it the 51st US state.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine, please follow us on X.