The United States intend to revise the 1951 defense agreement with Denmark in order to lift all restrictions on their military presence in Greenland and to abandon the obligation to inform Copenhagen of their activities on the island, Bloomberg reports, citing sources.
The agreement already grants the U.S. military broad access to Greenland for conducting operations, including the construction and operation of military bases. However, the current version stipulates that the United States must “inform” Denmark and the Greenlandic authorities and consult them before making any “substantial changes” to military operations and facilities. According to Bloomberg’s sources, U.S. negotiators want to amend this wording to ensure there are no constraints on the implementation of their plans. The details of the agreement are still under discussion.
In an interview with Fox Business on January 22, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States would obtain “all the military access they want.” “We will be able to deploy whatever is necessary in Greenland because we want to. In practice, it’s full access, with no time limits or restrictions,” he said.
Bloomberg notes that it remains unclear whether Denmark and Greenland will agree to such changes. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen previously said that Denmark and Greenland are open to a “further expansion” of the 1951 agreement, without providing additional details.
As part of a potential deal on Greenland, an initiative to ban non-NATO countries from obtaining rights to mine rare earth minerals on the island is also being discussed, The New York Times writes, citing sources. According to them, the restrictions would primarily target China and Russia.
Axios previously reported that the draft Greenland agreement предусматривает the preservation of Danish sovereignty over the island. At the same time, the United States would receive expanded rights to build bases and establish “defense zones.” It is also envisaged that the U.S. could deploy elements of the “Golden Dome” air defense system in Greenland, which Trump has mentioned before. According to Axios sources, the plan also includes possibilities for joint development of the island’s natural resources with Denmark.
