Denmark welcomes agreement with Washington on Greenland
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Denmark welcomed on Saturday an agreement with the United States on Greenland, which it described as "binding", after US President Donald Trump announced that it had been reached with Copenhagen, noting that it grants Washington "permanent control" over the security of the polar island and prevents its rivals such as Russia and China from establishing bases there.
Trump has repeatedly stressed since his return to the White House in January 2025 that Washington must control Greenland for strategic reasons, even threatening to annex the vast Danish autonomous island, which has raised concerns in Denmark and other US allies in NATO.
Both Denmark and Greenland - a Danish autonomous region - welcomed the agreement and said they would sign it on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York next week.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Saturday that the expected signing of the agreement means that "next week may be a good week".
He added in a social media post, "We hope that a long period of uncertainty will be replaced by a binding agreement that enhances security in the Arctic and North Atlantic region".
He stressed that the agreement respects Denmark's "red lines", considering it "important" in light of the changing security situation.
However, the terms of the agreement remain vague, while Denmark insists that its sovereignty has not been affected.
- "Permanent control" -
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the agreement as "recognizing the sovereignty of the Kingdom and the integrity of its territory, and the right of the people of Greenland to self-determination".
Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, "I am pleased to announce that the United States of America has reached an agreement with the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland, granting the United States permanent control over security and all other needs in Greenland".
He added, "From now on, no US adversary will be able to establish a base in Greenland, have a military presence there, or make sensitive investments there, without our express written consent".
He stressed, "It is an indefinite agreement, with no end", noting that Washington will immediately begin to establish an extensive military presence in the region.
French President Emmanuel Macron praised the agreement on Saturday evening, considering it "contributes to calming the situation" and "reaffirming Danish sovereignty" over the island.
Macron said, "I will only say that Danish sovereignty has been respected, and international law has been respected, which is what we have been asking for. So, that's a good thing".
While Trump presented the agreement as a major victory, Danish analysts saw that it did not actually gain anything new, noting that Washington was already able to strengthen its military presence on the island, provided it informed Denmark and Greenland in advance, under a defense agreement signed in 1951 and updated in 2004.
American affairs correspondent Jakob Heinle Jensen wrote in the Danish newspaper "Berlingske" on Saturday, "Don't tell Trump that the Kingdom of Denmark is the one who won".
Danish Defense College researcher Mark Jacobsen noted that what Trump gains from the agreement is that he "can appear as the victor".
He added, "He was a good businessman who pushed Denmark and Greenland towards something new".
Trump has repeatedly warned of Russian and Chinese attempts to establish a foothold in Greenland in the context of strategic competition in the warming North Pole region, while the US State Department has confirmed that they will not be allowed to do so.
An unnamed State Department official said, "The agreement ensures that China and Russia cannot establish bases in Greenland or send troops there, and provides the necessary mechanisms to prevent investment in sensitive sectors".
Frederiksen said on Friday that there are "prospects for reaching a good agreement for Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark, and the United States", adding that the agreement is "good for NATO and Europe".
Greenland Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen said the agreement "enhances" the security of the region.
- Tension with NATO -
Trump did not disclose any details related to the terms of the agreement, but several media outlets reported that the United States plans to establish three new military bases in southern Greenland, in addition to the Pituffik base it previously established in northern Greenland.
Greenland is located on the shortest route between Russia and the United States, has untapped rare metal mines, and could become more important as the ice in the North Pole melts and new sea routes emerge.
When the crisis over Greenland intensified, Trump did not rule out using force to control the island, which has a population of 57,000, prompting condemnation from the European Union and NATO.
Since then, tensions have eased, and NATO has launched a new mission to enhance security in the North Pole region, in a move that appears aimed at appeasing Trump.
Danish people in the streets of Copenhagen expressed cautious optimism about the agreement on Saturday.
Søren, a 52-year-old IT sector manager, told AFP, "I hope this is a final and sound agreement once we know the details, but I won't be surprised if we have to take a step back before we can, as we hope, take two steps forward".
Lawyer Katrine Rasmussen, 47, expressed hope that the agreement would end the debate over Greenland.
She said, "It would be good if we could end these debates. That would at least be a good result, so we can move forward".
