US, Denmark and Greenland set to sign Arctic security agreement
The unpublished deal would expand the US role in Greenland’s defence while recognising Danish sovereignty and Greenlandic self-determination.
The United States, Denmark and Greenland are due to sign an Arctic security agreement in New York, extending US involvement in Greenland’s defence while affirming the territory’s constitutional ties to Denmark.
US President Donald Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen are expected to sign the agreement at 1430 GMT on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, according to the Danish prime minister’s office.
The agreement has not been published, leaving its precise terms and legal effect unclear. Frederiksen said it recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark, along with the right of Greenland’s people to self-determination.
Trump said the arrangement would give the United States “permanent control” over Greenland’s security. That claim comes after repeated calls since his return to the White House in January 2025 for US control of the autonomous Danish territory on strategic grounds.
The deal reportedly seeks to prevent China and Russia from establishing military bases or making sensitive investments in Greenland without US consent. Denmark describes the Arctic and North Atlantic as an important defence zone for NATO members, linking the agreement to wider security concerns in the region.
