Key facts
- The US plans to reopen a former Cold War-era military base in southern Greenland.
- A new US military presence will be established at an east coast base in Greenland.
- The agreement is to be signed by the US, Denmark, and Greenland on Tuesday.
- The sites involved are Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig.
- The deal follows months of pressure from US President Donald Trump regarding control of Greenland.
- Denmark states the agreement places Arctic security under NATO's watch.
The United States, Denmark, and Greenland are poised to sign an agreement on Tuesday that will see the reopening of a former Cold War-era military base in southern Greenland and the establishment of a new US military presence at a base on the island's east coast. The deal, expected to be signed at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, aims to place Arctic security under the purview of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The sites involved are Narsarsuaq, which previously hosted the US Bluie West One military base until its closure in the 1950s, and Mestersvig, a current military outpost utilized by the Danish Sirius Dog Sled Patrol.
This agreement follows months of diplomatic pressure from US President Donald Trump, who has expressed a desire for US control over Greenland. Trump's previous remarks, which at times did not rule out military or economic force to acquire the territory, led to a diplomatic crisis within NATO and prompted negotiations with Washington. During the Cold War, the US operated 17 military installations in Greenland with over 10,000 personnel; today, only Pituffik Space Base remains operational with approximately 150 US military personnel.