Daijiworld Media Network – New York

New York, Sep 23: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an agreement with Denmark and Greenland aimed at strengthening security in the Arctic and North Atlantic, paving the way for an expanded US military presence on the island while keeping Greenland under Danish control.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, following months of negotiations between the United States, Denmark and Greenland. It is intended to address US security concerns in the strategically important Arctic region while easing tensions caused by Trump's repeated calls for Greenland to become part of the United States.

The accord will remain in effect even if Greenland eventually becomes independent, provided it remains part of NATO and assumes Denmark's rights and obligations under the agreement.

Under the agreement, the United States can modernise and expand its activities at Pituffik Space Base in northwest Greenland. Washington can also establish defence areas at Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and Mestersvig in the east, with the possibility of creating additional defence areas and expanding military facilities.

The agreement provides the US military with broad mobility across Greenland, including undersea access, and allows expanded operations in support of the defence of Greenland, the NATO area and North America.

No non-NATO country will be permitted to establish manned or unmanned military installations or maintain a persistent military presence in Greenland unless the signatories agree otherwise.

Addressing the UN General Assembly before the signing, Trump said the US would begin developing a larger military presence at appropriate locations, including two major military bases.

The United States has maintained a military presence in Greenland for decades. Its current presence is centred on Pituffik Space Base, which supports missile warning, missile defence and space surveillance operations for the US and NATO. The US military presence has declined significantly from its Cold War levels, when thousands of troops were stationed across numerous bases and installations.

Trump has expressed interest in acquiring Greenland since 2019 and renewed his efforts during his second term, including threats to take control of the semiautonomous Danish territory. His position strained relations with Denmark and other NATO allies. On Tuesday, he did not answer questions about whether US acquisition of Greenland was permanently off the table.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the agreement as beneficial for the United States, Greenland, Denmark and NATO. Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen called it a “win-win-win agreement”.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also welcomed the accord, saying it would strengthen collective security in the Arctic and North Atlantic.

The agreement comes after months of tensions that had unsettled Greenland's population of around 56,000 and strained relations between Washington, Copenhagen and European allies. Greenlandic officials have continued to emphasise the territory's sovereignty and right to self-determination.

Greenland's government has welcomed the agreement as an important step in its pursuit of greater autonomy, while officials in Denmark have expressed relief that the dispute with Washington has moved towards a diplomatic arrangement.