Secretary of State Rubio travels to Iceland for security talks — France 24

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Reykjavik, Iceland, on Monday, where he will hold talks with Icelandic officials on economic and security cooperation. France 24 reports on the planned visit, citing a US State Department statement.

Greenland agreement

Rubio's trip will take place about two weeks after the United States, Denmark and Greenland concluded a security agreement on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Under the arrangement, Washington plans to establish two new military bases in Greenland.

According to France 24, the agreement appears to have put an end to US President Donald Trump's threats to buy or annex Greenland, which had worsened relations with the European Union.

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Iceland's role in the Arctic

Amid intensifying competition in the Arctic, Iceland has once again gained strategic importance. The country has no armed forces of its own and, since gaining independence in 1944, has relied on NATO and a bilateral defense treaty with the United States signed in 1951.

The United States has no permanent military base in Iceland but seeks to strengthen control over Arctic routes that are of interest to Russia and China. In early September, Reykjavik summoned the US ambassador after Trump shared an AI-generated map depicting Iceland and Greenland as part of the United States.

Next itinerary

After Iceland, Rubio will travel to Athens for a strategic dialogue with Greece on regional and energy security. The US secretary of state will conclude his European tour with a brief stop in Lisbon.