Key facts
- The US and Greenland have signed a new defense agreement.
- The agreement allows for the establishment of a new US military base at Mestersvig in eastern Greenland.
- Mestersvig is located 240 kilometers from the nearest settlement and is characterized by extreme cold and darkness during winter.
- The outpost oversees the GIUK gap, a critical chokepoint between Greenland, Iceland, and Britain.
- The US has not publicly announced its plans for the base.
A new US defense agreement signed this week could see the remote Arctic outpost of Mestersvig in eastern Greenland become a key American military foothold. The outpost, currently maintained by a small Danish military detachment, is situated 240 kilometers from the nearest settlement and experiences extreme cold and darkness during winter.
The agreement allows Washington to establish new bases at Mestersvig and Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland, marking a potential expansion of US military presence on the island after decades. Mestersvig's strategic location overlooks the GIUK gap, a critical maritime chokepoint between Greenland, Iceland, and Britain that is vital for NATO to contain Russian naval power.
Local member of parliament Justus Hansen welcomed the expansion, stating that "In east Greenland, we really need that new money." The current facility at Mestersvig, built in the 1960s, has barracks for 150 soldiers but is presently maintained by only three personnel. The US has not yet made any public announcements regarding its specific plans for the base.
Historically, the area has seen military interest, including during World War Two when it was a front line in the "weather war" between Germany and the Allies. Nearby, an EU-backed project aims to mine molybdenum, a critical metal for aerospace and defense, and a Texas oil company plans to drill for oil this winter, though it awaits a permit.