New elements make some pointed revisions, however, stipulating that no non-NATO nation can open a base on the island or mine for critical minerals or rare earths without the agreement of the three signatories.
Trump has often spoken about Chinese and Russian military activities around Greenland, claiming earlier this year that, “if you take a look outside of Greenland right now, there are Russian destroyers. There are Chinese destroyers … there are Russian submarines all over the place. We’re not going to have Russia or China occupy Greenland, and that’s what they’re going to do if we don’t.”
NATO officials have quietly pushed back against those claims, with one diplomat saying “we’re not seeing any Chinese activity” around Greenland, while Russian movements in the High North haven’t changed significantly and there’s little, if any, Russian presence near Greenland.
In a nod to the new prevalence of aerial and naval drones, the agreement also gives the power to Denmark and Greenland to control where — and if — new bases for unmanned platforms can be built on the island. “Denmark together with Greenland shall review requests to establish unmanned military installations in Greenland outside of the Defense Areas under accelerated governmental approval procedures,” the agreement states.
“Seventy-five years ago, we entered into an agreement about the defense of Greenland,” Frederiksen said. “Today we are signing an even bigger and better agreement — a deal that can last forever.”
Nielsen, Greenland’s premier, said the territory had been supporting U.S. security since World War II. “We are, have been and will remain a steadfast friend of the United States and a part of the Western alliance. Your security is our security, and our security is your security,” he said.
