Denmark, Greenland Say US Deal Won't Cede Sovereignty

Denmark and Greenland have said that an agreement with the United States on the Arctic island will not compromise Greenland's sovereignty, after President Donald Trump described the deal as granting Washington permanent control over security there.

The three sides announced late on Friday that they had reached an agreement for the US to develop a significant military presence on Greenland, while barring US adversaries from establishing their own bases on the island. The deal is expected to be signed during the UN General Assembly next week.

Key details have not been made public, including the scale of the US military presence in the self-governed Danish territory and whether any formal authority over foreign policy or resources would be transferred to Washington.

Trump said in a post on Truth Social that under the deal the US would "FOREVER have the complete ability to do what is necessary in Greenland" to secure and defend it. He added that no adversary would be allowed a base, military presence or sensitive investments on the island without express written US approval.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said next week could be a good one for Greenland, Denmark and the United States. He expressed hope that a period of uncertainty would give way to a binding agreement strengthening security in the Arctic and North Atlantic, and thereby shared security within NATO and Europe, while respecting the Danish Kingdom's red lines.

Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the agreement benefits not only collective security but also the country's continued development. He said it recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom and the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination.

The deal follows months of tension triggered by Trump's threats to seize control of Greenland, which peaked in January and set off a diplomatic crisis that strained relations within NATO and pushed Denmark and Greenland into negotiations.

A NATO spokesperson welcomed the agreement, saying it would help advance security, stability and cooperation in the region.