United States and Denmark finalize security agreement on Greenland

Washington and Copenhagen said they have reached a security agreement concerning Greenland, ending a diplomatic row that followed remarks by the U.S. president about seizing the territory. The pact is described by Denmark’s prime minister as enhancing security in the Arctic and North Atlantic, while also respecting the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark and the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination.

Greenland’s government chairman Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the deal “ensures and strengthens the security of Greenland, Denmark and the United States” and acknowledges Greenland’s interests in international cooperation.

U.S. officials have characterized the arrangement as a “historic deal” that addresses national security concerns, noting that it provides permanent access, basing and overflight rights for U.S. forces and prohibits non-NATO states from establishing military facilities or making sensitive investments in Greenland without written approval.

The agreement still requires legislative ratification in both countries and will remain in force even if Greenland were to become independent. No full text of the pact has been released, and details on how it differs from the 1951 U.S.–Denmark defense arrangement have not been disclosed.