The United States, Denmark and Greenland signed a new trilateral security agreement on September 22 aimed at strengthening Arctic and North Atlantic security and easing months of tensions over Greenland’s strategic status.
US President Donald Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen signed the agreement on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The pact amends and supplements the 1951 US-Denmark Defense Agreement on Greenland.
The agreement expands US military access and operations in Greenland while reaffirming Denmark’s sovereignty and Greenland’s right to self-determination.
What Does the Agreement Say About the Military?
The agreement allows the United States to:
Modernize and expand activities at Pituffik Space Base, the existing US military installation in Greenland.
Establish additional Defense Areas at Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and Mestersvig in eastern Greenland.
Propose additional defense areas in Greenland in the future, subject to consultations and agreement between the parties.
Gain the military access needed to defend the North Atlantic Treaty area, Greenland and the US mainland, including through the planned Golden Dome defense system.
The agreement does not specify a fixed number of US troops to be stationed in Greenland or a specific timetable for the expansion of the facilities.
Stronger NATO Role in the Arctic
The pact calls for stronger NATO engagement in the Arctic, including planning, military presence, exercises and joint intelligence gathering.
It also restricts non-NATO countries from establishing their own manned or unmanned military installations or maintaining a persistent military presence in Greenland unless all parties agree otherwise.
What Happens if Greenland Becomes Independent?
The agreement explicitly recognizes Greenland’s right to self-determination.
If Greenland eventually becomes independent, Denmark and Greenland would have to ensure that the new state remains within NATO, including applying for NATO membership if necessary. The independent Greenlandic government would also have to assume the rights and obligations contained in the agreement and the existing defense arrangements.
The pact therefore does not transfer sovereignty over Greenland to the United States. The text reaffirms the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark while recognizing Greenlanders’ right to self-determination.
Restrictions on Foreign Investment
The agreement also introduces restrictions involving foreign investment in strategically sensitive sectors.
Countries or investors from outside NATO, NATO partner states and the European Union would not be allowed to obtain control, significant influence or access to sensitive non-public information in sectors considered important to national security or public order.
These sectors include critical infrastructure and natural-resource extraction. Greenland is to implement the restrictions through its investment-screening laws in cooperation with Danish authorities, with consultation involving US officials.
No Fixed Expiration Date
The agreement has no specified end date. Any amendment requires mutual consent under the procedures connected to the 1951 defense agreement.
However, the pact is not yet fully in force. It will take effect after Denmark and Greenland complete the necessary parliamentary procedures and formally notify the United States.
Overall, the agreement expands the US military presence and strategic access in Greenland while keeping the territory under Danish sovereignty and formally recognizing Greenland’s right to determine its own future. It also places Arctic security more explicitly within a NATO framework.
