OMM Redaksiyası
The United States, Denmark and Greenland have signed an agreement to expand Washington’s military presence on the Arctic island, ending a months-long standoff between the allies.
The deal was signed on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 22, according to Al Jazeera, AFP and AP. US President Donald Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen attended the signing.
“This is tremendous for Europe and for the United States and for everybody,” Trump said before signing the agreement. “And for Greenland, it’s going to be incredible.”
What the agreement allows
The accord permits Washington to “modernise and expand” its activities at the Pituffik Space Base in northwest Greenland. It also provides for the establishment of bases at Narsarsuaq in the south and Mestersvig in the east, with the possibility of creating additional defence areas and expanding operations.
Under the agreement, US aircraft will be able to fly over and land anywhere in Greenland, including its territorial waters. Washington will also receive “undersea access”.
No country outside NATO will be permitted to establish military installations or maintain a persistent military presence in Greenland without the unanimous approval of Denmark, Greenland and the United States. The deal also restricts investment in sensitive sectors by entities from outside NATO and the European Union.
The agreement has no end date. If Greenland becomes independent, it will remain in NATO and assume Denmark’s obligations under the deal.
Deal follows tensions over Greenland
The agreement follows months of tension after Trump threatened to seize Greenland. Frederiksen had warned that a US takeover would end the NATO alliance.
The US military presence in Greenland has declined since 1945, when thousands of troops were stationed across 17 bases. Around 200 US personnel are currently based at the remote Pituffik facility.
Frederiksen described the agreement as “a deal that can last forever”, while Nielsen called it “a win-win-win”, adding: “Your security is our security, and our security is your security.”
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and European Council President Antonio Costa welcomed the agreement. Costa called it “a positive step for transatlantic cooperation and Arctic security”, based on respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and the right of Greenland’s people to self-determination.
