OMM Redaksiyası
Denmark and Greenland are seeking to reassure the public that a new security agreement being prepared with the United States will not change sovereignty over the island.
The agreement could allow Washington to significantly expand its military presence in Greenland and prevent US rivals from establishing military bases or making certain sensitive investments on the Arctic island.
US President Donald Trump, however, has presented the agreement differently, saying it would give the United States “permanent control” over Greenland’s security. The parties are expected to formally sign the document this week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
How will the agreement affect Greenland’s status?
Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. The island has its own government and parliament, while responsibility for foreign policy and security remains with Copenhagen.
The agreement’s precise terms have not yet been disclosed. It is therefore unclear how extensively the US military presence will expand and whether Washington will gain formal authority over Greenland’s foreign policy and natural resources.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said the agreement should strengthen security in the Arctic and North Atlantic while respecting Denmark’s “red lines”. He said the document should reinforce collective security within NATO and Europe.
Greenland stresses right to self-determination
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has also sought to reassure residents. He said the proposed agreement recognizes “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom, as well as the right of the people of Greenland to self-determination”.
The issue is particularly significant in Greenland. The island has had complex relations with Denmark for decades, and its local government has sought greater autonomy. Independence also remains on the political agenda.
The agreement does not envisage Greenland being handed over to the United States. Under the deal, the territory would remain part of the Kingdom of Denmark while potentially allowing Washington to play a larger role in security matters.
Trump presents agreement in broader terms
Trump wrote on the “Truth Social” platform that the United States would be able to take any action it considered necessary to protect Greenland and its own security “in full, forever”. He also said Washington would gain “permanent control” over security and that US rivals would not be allowed to establish a military presence or make sensitive investments without American approval.
The remarks have raised questions because the governments of Denmark and Greenland emphasize that sovereignty and the right to self-determination will remain unchanged. The full text of the agreement has not yet been released to the public.
Why is Greenland important to the United States?
Greenland lies in a strategic position between North America and Europe. Its geography is important for surveillance capabilities at a time when military and economic competition is intensifying in the Arctic and North Atlantic.
The United States operates the Pituffik Space Base in northern Greenland. The new agreement could provide a basis for expanding the American military presence on the island.
The deal has also increased concerns about deeper US involvement in Greenland. Marianne Hansen, 71, who lives in Nuuk, told Reuters: “Trump should stay very, very, very far away from Greenland.”
She added: “He should not expect our children and grandchildren to become American in the future.”
The agreement has eased the diplomatic confrontation between the parties. However, questions remain over how extensively the US role in Greenland will expand until the full terms of the document are disclosed and the necessary political procedures are completed.
