The U.S. Will Resume Its Military Presence in Greenland and Establish Two Bases — Reuters
The U.S. plans to reestablish a military presence in Greenland by acquiring two bases near strategic areas of the island. Details of the agreement are expected to be announced as early as this week.
The U.S. plans to reestablish a Cold War-era base in southern Greenland and build another facility on the island’s east coast. Three sources familiar with the details of the agreement told Reuters about this.
The first is the town of Narsarsuaq, where only a few dozen residents remain after the U.S. closed the “Blue West One” base there back in the 1950s. The second facility is the Mestersvig military outpost, which is currently used by the Danish special forces unit “Sirius” for dog patrols.
Denmark, Greenland, and the U.S. are set to sign the new agreement on Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The text of the document has not yet been made public, and its final details will be agreed upon just before the signing.
The governments of Denmark and Greenland have not yet responded to a request for comment from Reuters.
A White House spokesperson declined to comment on the details of the agreement. She merely reiterated a previous statement that the document is intended to “ensure and protect the security of Greenland and the United States.”
Denmark emphasizes that the agreement places control over Arctic security under NATO’s oversight, rather than leaving the matter solely to the discretion of Washington and Copenhagen.
The agreement is the result of months of pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has long insisted on U.S. control over Greenland. Previously, he repeatedly refused to rule out the use of military or economic force to gain control over the Danish autonomous territory.
According to polls, the overwhelming majority of Greenland’s residents oppose this idea. Trump’s statements peaked in January and triggered a diplomatic crisis within NATO, which prompted Denmark and Greenland to begin negotiations with Washington.
During the Cold War, the U.S. had 17 military facilities and more than 10,000 military personnel in Greenland. Today, only the Pituffik base remains, where about 150 U.S. military personnel are stationed.
Source: Reuters
As a reminder, Greenland, Denmark, and the U.S. are planning a security agreement in the Arctic.
British Prime Minister Burnham congratulated Denmark on the agreement regarding Greenland.
Shares of companies linked to Greenland rose following the U.S.-Denmark agreement.
