Greenland Parliament Unanimously Backs New Arctic Security Pact

Greenland’s legislature voted 16-0 on Tuesday to approve a new security arrangement with Denmark and the United States. The motion passed in the capital, Nuuk, after months of pressure from the White House regarding the territory’s strategic value. Seven lawmakers abstained from the vote.

The agreement allows the United States to expand its military footprint on the island. It aims to strengthen defenses in the Arctic and North Atlantic regions. The deal ensures that Greenland remains a self-governing territory under Danish control, even if the island eventually chooses independence.

U.S. President Donald Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen signed the initial document in September. They met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The pact paves the way for additional American bases in the region.

Trump had previously suggested that military force was not off the table if negotiations stalled. He described U.S. control of Greenland as vital to American national security. He later softened that stance, emphasizing support for Greenlanders to determine their own future.

Jens-Frederik Nielsen posted on Facebook following the vote, stating that Greenlanders had stood united despite geopolitical tensions. He wrote, “We must be able to cooperate with other countries.” Nielsen added that this cooperation must respect “our people, our country and our rights.” He concluded, “Greenland is our country. Greenland will always be our country.”

Danish lawmakers are scheduled to debate the agreement later this month. The deal will enter into force once the necessary parliamentary processes in Denmark and Greenland are complete. The agreement specifies that Washington should award contracts for building, maintaining, or dismantling bases to Greenlandic sources to the maximum extent possible.

Reaction in the town of Ilulissat, located 570 kilometers north of Nuuk, was mixed. Nukaaka Lund-Mathaeussen, a 28-year-old municipality worker, expressed hope that the approval means the Trump administration “got what they wanted.” She told the Associated Press, “Hopefully after this we won’t be getting underhanded threats from the American government.”

However, not everyone viewed the deal as a victory for local residents. Lars Erik Gabrielsen, the mayor of Avannaata Municipality, argued that the pact benefits Denmark and NATO more than Greenland. He said, “It’s a good deal for Denmark, NATO. Not a good deal for us.” Gabrielsen added, “There are no benefits, no money to our society. Zero.”