US and Denmark Begin Discussions on Greenland Deal
Senior officials met to discuss how to address US security concerns in the Arctic while respecting Denmark’s key boundaries, said Oliver Routhe Skov, spokesman for Denmark’s embassy in the US. US, Danish, and Greenlandic officials gathered Wednesday to talk about a new framework deal for Greenland. The talks aim to meet President Donald Trump’s wish for a stronger American presence on the Arctic island without transferring control to the US.
The negotiations come after Trump announced last week a “framework of a future deal,” in which he promised not to impose tariffs on European countries that oppose his plan to take control of Greenland.
This change in approach follows weeks of pressure from Trump on Denmark and Greenland to give the US control of the strategic Arctic island, which is a semi-autonomous territory under Denmark, a NATO ally. His repeated threats sparked strong reactions from Danish and Greenlandic leaders, as well as other European allies.
This week, leaders from Denmark and Greenland are in Berlin and Paris to build European support during negotiations with the US.
Earlier Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that “we’re in a good place right now” on Greenland. Democratic lawmakers criticized the Trump administration for straining ties with NATO allies.
Rubio added, “We have in place a process that’s going to bring us to a good outcome for everybody,” and said the talks would be handled in a “very professional, straightforward way.”
Trump revealed the planned deal after meeting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The leaders discussed US missile placements, mining rights to block Chinese interests, and strengthening NATO’s presence in the Arctic.
Danish officials have said they are open to negotiating and reviewing cooperation with the US on Greenland, as long as the talks do not touch on the island’s sovereignty.
US officials are also considering revising the defense agreement with Denmark to remove limits on its military presence in Greenland, Bloomberg reported.
The original agreement, signed in 1951 and updated in 2004, requires the US to “consult with and inform” Denmark and Greenland before making “any significant changes to United States military operations or facilities in Greenland.”
