Key facts
- The US, Denmark, and Greenland signed a defense deal allowing the US to build two new military bases in the Arctic territory.
- The agreement amends and updates a 1951 defense pact between Denmark and the US.
- The new bases will be located in Narsarsuaq (southern Greenland) and Mestersvig (eastern Greenland).
- The US will also modernize and expand its Pituffik Space Base in northwest Greenland.
- The deal bars non-NATO members from establishing military installations or having a persistent military presence in Greenland.
- The agreement requires approval from the parliaments of Greenland and Denmark.
The United States, Denmark, and Greenland have signed a defense agreement that allows Washington to build two new military bases in the Arctic territory, reaffirming Copenhagen's sovereignty over it. The deal, signed at the UN General Assembly in New York, amends and updates a 1951 defense agreement between Denmark and the US.
US President Donald Trump stated that the US will "immediately begin the process of developing a large military presence in the appropriate locations." Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the deal as "good for the US, Denmark and Greenland" and also for Europe and NATO, while Greenland's PM Jens-Frederik Nielsen called it a "win-win-win."
The agreement permits the US to establish an additional Defense Area at Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and Mestersvig in eastern Greenland. Narsarsuaq has deep-water access and a large runway, while Mestersvig is a remote outpost used by a Danish naval dog sled unit. The modalities and technical details of the bases are yet to be mutually agreed upon by all parties. Washington currently operates its Pituffik Space Base in northwest Greenland, and the new deal allows the US to "modernise and expand its activities" there.
The pact also stipulates that no state not a member of NATO shall be allowed to establish its own manned or unmanned military installations in Greenland, nor shall they have a persistent military presence. The agreement respects Greenland's right to self-determination and its people's rights and livelihoods. It does not address US interests in Greenland's mining and resources sector but bars non-NATO, non-partner, or non-EU investors from controlling sensitive sectors, with Greenland screening investments to enforce these rules. The deal requires approval from the parliaments of Greenland and Denmark before taking effect.