The US, Denmark and Greenland have signed an agreement to strengthen security in the Arctic and North Atlantic. The document was signed in New York by US President Donald Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
Security agreement
The agreement aims to strengthen security and defense cooperation in the Arctic and North Atlantic. The Danish government says it should strengthen the security of Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States, as well as their allies.
Copenhagen emphasizes that the agreement recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark, as well as the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination.
Trump: US will have a permanent role
The US president presented the agreement as a way for Washington to gain a permanent role in ensuring the security of the island.
Trump said that the US must have the necessary capabilities to defend Greenland and the wider Arctic. He also indicated that US adversaries would not be able to build a military presence or make certain strategic investments on the island without American approval.
The phrase "permanent control" is a position expressed by Trump. It should be distinguished from the official Danish formulation of preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Two new US military sites
In parallel with the agreement, Washington plans to expand its military presence in Greenland.
Among the sites discussed are Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and Meestersvig on the east coast. The American plans include the restoration of the former Bluie West One base in Narsarsuaq and the construction of a new military presence in the Meestersvig area.
The United States already has a strategic military site in Greenland - the base — “Pitufik“ in the northwest of the island. It is important for early warning systems, missile defense and space surveillance.
Copenhagen: “Good for everyone in the West“
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the agreement as positive for Greenland, Denmark and the United States.
According to her, the agreement strengthens security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic and is important for Western allies. The Danish government also places the agreement in the context of NATO's collective security.
Frederiksen emphasizes that the agreement reached does not cancel the right of Greenlanders to determine their own future.
Greenland remains within the Kingdom of Denmark
Signing the agreement does not mean transferring sovereignty over Greenland to the United States. The island remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark, while Washington is given a broader role in its security.
This distinction is significant against the backdrop of months of disputes over the strategic importance of Greenland and American intentions towards the island.
The new agreement emphasizes security and military cooperation, but at the same time leaves the question of Greenland's future status related to the right of self-determination of its population.
The Arctic as a strategic zone
The agreement comes against the backdrop of the growing strategic importance of the Arctic. Greenland's geographical location makes it an important observation and defense point in the North Atlantic and Arctic regions.
For Washington, the island is important for early warning, missile defense, space surveillance and control of northern sea and air routes.
For Denmark, the agreement is an attempt to strengthen Greenland's security while preserving Danish sovereignty and the right of self-determination of the Greenlandic people.
Sources: Reuters, Associated Press