Denmark, Greenland and the US to sign agreement on strengthening security in the Arctic
In world politics, the Arctic is ceasing to be a distant periphery and is turning into a region of strategic rivalry. When the interests of great powers intersect on a territory that possesses sovereignty and the right to self-determination, every agreement becomes a fragile balance between security and respect for the will of the people. That is the balance Denmark, Greenland and the US are trying to find.
On Friday, the Danish government confirmed in a statement that Greenland, Denmark and the United States are expected to sign an agreement on strengthening security in the Arctic and North Atlantic next week. The three governments are expected to sign the agreement at the UN General Assembly. After signing, the agreement will enter into force after the necessary parliamentary procedures, the statement said.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in the statement that the agreement recognises Denmark's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the Greenlandic people's right to self-determination. Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the three sides are about to conclude an agreement that will ensure and strengthen the security of Greenland, Denmark, the US and the Western alliance, adding that the agreement recognises Greenland's interests and its place in international cooperation.
Earlier the same day, US President Donald Trump said in a social media post that the US had reached an agreement with Denmark and Greenland granting the US "permanent control" over security and other needs in Greenland. "At my direction, we have worked with representatives of Denmark and Greenland to ensure that the United States will FOREVER have the full ability to do whatever is necessary in Greenland," Trump wrote.
No US adversary will be able to have a base in Greenland, a military presence in Greenland or make important investments in Greenland without written US approval, he said.
The US president called the deal an "infinite life" agreement with no expiry date and said it would entail no costs for the United States. "We will immediately begin the process of creating a major military presence in the relevant part of Greenland, of which there are many," he said. The full text of the agreement was not immediately published.
Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Trump's previous statements about acquiring the territory met with strong resistance from Denmark, Greenland and a number of European countries.
As reported by CCTV+, the upcoming agreement could mark a turning point in Arctic policy, but its details have not yet been disclosed, and Trump's statements about "permanent control" raise questions about how they relate to Denmark's sovereignty and the Greenlandic people's right to self-determination. Further developments will depend on parliamentary procedures and the reaction of the international community.
