Annexation no, military protection yes: What the US-Denmark agreement on Greenland foresees

2026-09-19 19:51:57Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Annexation no, military protection yes: What the US-Denmark agreement on
What the US-Denmark agreement on Greenland provides

The word annexation was dropped from ‘usage.’ The United States and Denmark have reached an agreement on the security of Greenland, easing a diplomatic standoff caused by President Donald Trump’s threats to take the territory by force.

Trump stated that the agreement gives the United States permanent control over Greenland's security and the ability to take measures it deems necessary to protect it.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the agreement strengthens security in the Arctic and North Atlantic, while recognizing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and the right of the people of Greenland to self-determination.

The agreement is expected to be signed at the United Nations General Assembly next week, but still needs to be approved through parliamentary procedures in Denmark. According to a US State Department official, the agreement provides for permanent US access, basing and overflight rights, as well as the possibility for the US to build new military facilities without prior approval from Greenland or Denmark.

It also bans military presence and investment in sensitive sectors from countries outside NATO, with the US official specifically mentioning Russia and China.

However, the official text of the agreement has not yet been made public and it remains unclear how much it differs from the 1951 agreement, which already gives the US the right to deploy troops in Greenland.

Greenland remains strategically important to Washington because of its position in the Arctic and its vast, largely untapped, reserves of rare minerals.


Video