US President Donald Trump has announced the commencement of high-level negotiations with European leaders regarding Greenland, stating that a preliminary framework for an agreement is already taking shape. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during a flight from Washington to Florida, US President Donald Trump emphasized that the matter holds strategic importance for American national security interests.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the proposed project reportedly maintains Denmark's sovereignty over Greenland while seeking to modernize the 1951 defense treaty. US media reports suggest the update could grant the United States the authority to establish additional military bases and specialized defense zones on the island, should NATO deem such measures necessary for regional stability.
However, the announcement has triggered significant diplomatic tension. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded by clarifying that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte does not have the mandate to negotiate on behalf of Denmark. She noted that discussions have returned to traditional diplomatic channels. The prospect of expanded US influence has met with firm resistance in Copenhagen, where the public views the island as an integral part of the Kingdom and rejects attempts at increased external control.
Adding to the friction, US President Donald Trump recently questioned the role of European allies during the war in Afghanistan, suggesting some partners avoided frontline duties. These remarks have been particularly sensitive in Denmark, which was one of the most active participants in the Afghan mission, suffering 44 fatalities—one of the highest casualty rates per capita among coalition partners. In response, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the US Embassy in Copenhagen to support veterans, planting flags with the names of fallen soldiers and describing the president's comments as disrespectful to their military sacrifice.
Greenland's strategic significance has grown in recent years due to its location in the Arctic, a region increasingly contested for its shipping routes and vast untapped natural resources. As a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, any change to its defense status requires complex tripartite coordination between Nuuk, Copenhagen, and Washington.
