Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has announced an agreement with Denmark to expand the US military presence in Greenland — an agreement under which Greenland will remain within Danish territory.
Trump said on Saturday, September 19, on social media that this agreement guarantees permanent US control over security and other needs of the island, and that the process of developing the US military presence in Greenland will begin.
According to an Associated Press report, the Danish Prime Minister’s Office has announced that the agreement will be signed next week by the US, Denmark, and Greenland during the United Nations General Assembly session, but its implementation requires approval from the parliaments of Denmark and Greenland as well.
Mette Frederiksen, the Prime Minister of Denmark, has said that this agreement recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Greenland and Denmark and preserves the right of the people of both sides to self-determination.
Jens-Frederik Nielsen, the Prime Minister of Greenland, also said that this agreement benefits all three parties and recognizes Greenland’s interests.
This agreement was reached after several months of secret negotiations among officials from the US, Denmark, and Greenland.
Trump had previously demanded the transfer of Greenland to the US and said that the island is important for US security.
He had also spoken of not ruling out the use of military force to acquire Greenland.
According to this agreement, the establishment of any non-NATO military base in Greenland will be prohibited, and investment by rival countries on the island will be limited. Also, under it, China and Russia cannot establish military bases in Greenland.
The US has had a military presence in Greenland for years and operates the “Pituffik” Space Base in the northwest of the island. This base is active in missile warning and defense and space surveillance for the US and NATO.
Greenland, with more than two-thirds of its territory inside the Arctic Circle, is strategically located between North America and the North Atlantic Ocean.
