Trump, Denmark strike deal to expand US military presence in Greenland

Washington: Denmark, the United States and Greenland are expected to sign an agreement that will allow the US to increase its military presence in the Danish territory and ban adversaries such as Russia and China from building bases or making sensitive investments there.

The agreement was simultaneously announced by all three parties and will be signed at the United Nations next week when world leaders converge on New York for the UN General Assembly’s high-level meetings.

It is a significant win for US President Donald Trump, who made Arctic security a key plank of his foreign policy agenda, but frightened European allies with his demands for the US to purchase Greenland or perhaps take the Danish territory by force.

Based on details provided by a US State Department official, the deal stops well short of giving the US control over Greenland, but expands American access and puts explicit, permanent restrictions on the presence of NATO adversaries.

It guaranteed the US the “complete ability to do what it deems is necessary in Greenland in order to secure and defend the American continent”, the State Department official said, including permanent access, basing and overflight rights.

“This agreement ensures the necessary US military presence in Greenland permanently, allowing the US military to increase the number of bases in Greenland as required.”

Under the deal, a non-NATO country would not be allowed to build a military base or maintain a troop presence in Greenland, and only the US and its allies could make sensitive investments in Greenland.

The US had raised concerns about Chinese investments in the territory, although experts have said these claims are inflated, with most of China’s purported projects there failing or never materialising.

“This agreement guarantees that China and Russia cannot have a base in Greenland, they cannot send troops to Greenland, and the necessary mechanisms are in place to prevent investment in sensitive sectors,” the State Department official said.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen welcomed what she described as a “great agreement” between the three parties, which would strengthen their collective security in the Arctic and North Atlantic.

The deal also recognised the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark, she noted, as well as the Greenlandic people’s right to self-determination.

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen branded the deal a “joyous” agreement that benefited all involved.

Trump, meanwhile, called it a “dream come true” and said the US would immediately begin developing a large military presence in an appropriate part of the territory.

“For over 100 years, [US] Presidents have known the strategic importance of Greenland, but NONE of them were able to do anything about it,” Trump said on social media. “I am proud to be the President that permanently and conclusively addressed this very important situation.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who played a key role in the negotiations, called it a “huge win” for the US and the American people.

“Greenland will forever be part of the strategic defence area of North America and exclude any adversary from it and the surrounding area,” he said.