The United States is set to significantly expand its military presence in Greenland, through a trilateral agreement with Denmark and the Greenland government, which is expected to be signed on Tuesday in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The agreement aims to strengthen security in the Arctic and expand American military infrastructure on the strategic island.
According to Reuters, in addition to the Pituffik Space Base, the US plans to restore a military presence in Narsarsuaq, in southern Greenland, and establish a presence in Mestersvig, on the east coast. Narsarsuaq is a former US base from the Cold War era, while Mestersvig is currently used by the Sirius Sled Patrol, a Danish special forces unit. The agreement comes after months of tensions caused by statements by US President Donald Trump, who has sought greater American control over Greenland and in the past has not ruled out the use of economic or military pressure to achieve this goal.
These statements caused a diplomatic crisis within NATO and led to negotiations between Washington, Copenhagen and Nuuk. The new agreement shifts the focus from the idea of taking control of the island to an expansion of the US military presence. Denmark has stated that the agreement will place Arctic security within the framework of NATO's collective defense, while Copenhagen and the Greenland authorities have emphasized that the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark will not be violated.
According to sources cited by Reuters, Narsarsuaq is a former Cold War base, known as Blue West One, which was closed by the US in the 1950s. The area's population has been reduced over the years to just a few dozen residents. While Mestersvig is a military outpost on the east coast, currently used by the Sirius Sled Patrol to exercise the Danish presence in the territory. During the Cold War, the US had 17 military installations and more than 10 troops in Greenland. Currently, the Pituffik base remains on the island, where about 150 US military personnel are located.
The full text of the agreement has not yet been released, and some of its details remain unclear until the signing. It is not yet known exactly how much of the US presence will be expanded, how many personnel could be stationed in Greenland, and whether the agreement will amend the 1951 defense treaty or create a new framework for cooperation. President Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen are expected to attend the signing ceremony in New York.
