US President Donald Trump called Greenland “the greatest gift” that the United States had ever received from Europe. In an interview with Fox News, he said: “Europe has just given the United States the greatest gift we have ever received. Do you know what it is? Greenland. We just acquired Greenland.”
His remarks referred to the agreement reached in September between the United States, Denmark and Greenland on security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic. The treaty expands US armed forces’ access to and presence on the island, but does not transfer Greenland to the United States.
The agreement does not change sovereignty
The agreement was signed on September 22 by Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen. It updates the framework for the defence of Greenland established by the 1951 treaty between Washington and Copenhagen.
The Danish government said that the treaty recognises and respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark, as well as the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination. This means that the island remains a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. The same position was also reported by the Associated Press.
The new agreement gives the United States broader access to military facilities and the ability to strengthen its presence in the strategically important Arctic region. Washington already operates Pituffik Base in northwestern Greenland, which carries out tasks related to missile attack warning, missile defence and space surveillance.
Years of tension between Washington and Copenhagen
Trump has for years insisted that the United States should take control of Greenland, citing national security and the island’s strategic location. He has repeatedly refused to rule out the use of military force, and his threats have prompted a sharp reaction in Denmark and among other European allies.
At the NATO summit in July, the US president again stated that Greenland should be under US control, rather than Denmark’s. European leaders responded that the island was not for sale and that its future could be decided only by its people.
Against this backdrop, Trump’s remarks about the “acquisition” of Greenland represent a political interpretation of the new agreement, rather than an official change in the island’s status. The treaty expands US security and defence rights, but confirms Danish sovereignty and the right of Greenlanders to self-determination.
Sources: news.bg, apnews.com