Denmark welcomes agreement with the United States on Greenland: beneficial for NATO and Europe, and strengthens Arctic security

Denmark expressed its welcome on Sunday for the agreement on Greenland, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump as having been reached with Copenhagen. The deal grants Washington “permanent control” over the security of the polar island and prevents Russia and China from establishing bases there, describing it as “binding.” Both Denmark and Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory, welcomed the agreement and stated they would sign it on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said on Saturday in a social media post, “We hope that a binding agreement will replace a long period of uncertainty, enhancing security in the Arctic and North Atlantic regions.” He affirmed that the agreement respects Denmark’s “red lines,” considering it “important” in light of changing security conditions.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the agreement in a statement as “simultaneously recognizing the sovereignty of the Kingdom and its territorial integrity, as well as the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination.”

Trump had posted on his Truth Social platform, “I am pleased to announce that the United States of America has reached an agreement with the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland, granting the United States permanent control over security and all other needs in Greenland.” He added, “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 consent.” He emphasized, “It is an agreement for an indefinite period, with no end,” noting that Washington would immediately begin establishing a robust military presence in the territory.

A U.S. State Department official, who requested anonymity, said the “agreement ensures that China and Russia cannot establish bases in Greenland or send troops there, and it provides the necessary mechanisms to prevent investment in sensitive sectors.”

Frederiksen said on Friday that there were “prospects for reaching a good agreement for Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark, and the United States,” adding that the deal would benefit NATO and Europe. She stated that it “enhances our shared security in the Arctic and North Atlantic region,” and that it “recognizes the sovereignty of the Kingdom (of Denmark) and its territorial integrity, as well as the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination.”

Once signed, the agreement must go through the necessary parliamentary procedures before entering into force, according to a statement from Frederiksen’s office.

Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen expressed satisfaction with the conclusion of an agreement that “ensures and enhances the security of Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark, the United States, and the Western alliance.” He added that the agreement “recognizes Greenland’s interests and our position in international cooperation.”

Greenland lies on the shortest route between Russia and the United States and possesses untapped rare mineral deposits. Its strategic importance may increase as Arctic ice melts and new sea routes emerge.