US President Donald Trump said on Friday that the United States, Denmark and Greenland had reached a security agreement allowing Washington to significantly strengthen its military presence on the island and preventing US rivals from establishing bases or making sensitive investments there without US approval.
Frederiksen expects agreement to be signed next week
Meanwhile, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the agreement was expected to be signed next week. Trump said in a post on the Truth Social platform that the agreement had no expiry date and that none of the US rivals would be able to make sensitive investments in Greenland without Washington’s approval.
Under my direction, we worked with representatives of Denmark and Greenland to ensure that the United States would forever have full capacity to do what is necessary in Greenland to ensure and defend the security of Greenland and the United States of America
Trump sets restrictions on presence and investment in Greenland
Trump added: "In addition, from now on, no adversary of the United States will ever be able to establish a base in Greenland, have a military presence there, or make sensitive investments there, without our explicit written approval." Frederiksen, for her part, said on Friday that Greenland, Denmark and the United States were expected to reach an agreement over the following week, with the aim of strengthening security in the Arctic and North Atlantic regions.
She said the agreement would be signed on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings. The Danish prime minister said in a statement: "I am pleased that there is a possibility of reaching a good agreement for Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States."
She considered the understanding reached by her country and the United States, which gives Washington control over Greenland’s security, beneficial to NATO and Europe. Frederiksen stressed that the agreement "strengthens our shared security in the Arctic and North Atlantic region", referring to its security and geographical scope and the related arrangements between the three parties.
Agreement bars Chinese and Russian bases on island
The US State Department, for its part, said on Friday that the security agreement concerning Greenland reached by the United States and Denmark ensured that China and Russia would not be able to establish bases on the Arctic island.
A US State Department official, who requested anonymity, said: "The agreement explicitly guarantees the United States full capacity to take whatever action it deems necessary in Greenland to secure and defend the American continent, including permanent access rights, the establishment of military bases and air operations." The official added that the agreement ensured China and Russia could not establish bases in Greenland or send forces there, and included the mechanisms necessary to prevent investment in sensitive sectors.
These provisions are consistent with Trump’s statement that any military presence or sensitive investment by US rivals on the island would require explicit written US approval.
