The US, Denmark and Greenland have signed a defence deal at the UN General Assembly that will establish at least two new US military bases in Greenland, as the agreement seeks to ease tensions between the Nato allies.
Key facts
- At least two new US bases will be established under the deal.
- The agreement was signed at the UN General Assembly in New York.
- The deal re-affirms Denmark's sovereignty over Greenland, its semi-autonomous Arctic territory.
- Reactions among Greenlanders mix hope, scepticism and fear.
- The deal is described as seeking to end tensions between Nato allies.
The United States, Denmark and Greenland have signed a defence agreement that will see at least two new US military bases established in the Arctic territory, according to reporting from Al Jazeera and the BBC.
The deal was signed at the UN General Assembly in New York, the BBC reported. Alongside the plan to build the new bases, the agreement re-affirms Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland, its semi-autonomous Arctic territory.
The Guardian reported that the agreement seeks to end tensions between the Nato allies, framing it around Arctic security cooperation between the US, Greenland and Denmark.
Reactions on the ground in Greenland have been mixed. The Guardian’s Nordic correspondent reported that emotions among Greenlanders ahead of the signing were a mixture of hope, scepticism and fear.
One perspective cited by the Guardian highlighted a lack of transparency and trust surrounding the deal. “There have been many different reactions in Greenland because they are talking about a deal but no one can see the deal, we don’t know what it is all about, and what’s in it for us or what’s in it,” the account said, adding that “we have been terrorised as a people for the last 1.5 years by the American president, so many people feel no trust at all.”
The available reporting confirms the core elements of the agreement — the new bases and the re-affirmation of Danish sovereignty — but the full details of the deal had not been made public at the time of signing, according to the Guardian’s coverage.
Why it matters
Greenland has become a focal point of Arctic security and geopolitical tension between Nato allies. A US military expansion there, paired with re-affirmed Danish sovereignty, signals an attempt to balance American strategic interests with Greenlandic and Danish concerns.
Frequently asked questions
How many new US bases will be built in Greenland?
According to Al Jazeera and the BBC, at least two new US military bases will be established under the deal.
Where was the deal signed?
The BBC reported that the defence deal was signed at the UN General Assembly in New York.
Does the deal change Denmark's control over Greenland?
No. The BBC reported that the agreement re-affirms Denmark's sovereignty over Greenland, its semi-autonomous Arctic territory.