On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed a finalized agreement with Denmark and Greenland to expand military bases on the Arctic territory and so that the US will have more authority when it comes to its armed forces in Greenland.
President Trump, Greenland Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen, and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen all signed the agreement while on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
The text of the agreement was released by the White House after signing, with it saying that the US "may establish additional defense areas in Greenland and strengthen its military operations or facilities."
The US will also "be allowed to establish an additional Defense Area at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig" and can " modernize and expand its activities in Pituffik Space Base" among other provisions.
The deal has no expiration date and also blocks non-NATO countries from establishing bases in Greenland without the agreement from the parties. The agreement will also keep going even if Greenland becomes independent from Denmark.
"We're going to have a tremendous relationship, a secure relationship, and we look forward to it," Trump said as they signed the agreement. "We'll be working very hard and very much in conjunction with each other, and it's just a real honor to be here."
The deal comes after the Trump administration has long aimed for having more security for the US in the region of Greenland, and had previously spoken about buying the whole island.
A framework for the deal was established earlier this year, where he said that Greenland is an "enormous, unsecured island is sitting undefended in a key strategic location between the United States, Russia, and China."
He then added that “we need it for strategic national security and international security.”
President Trump, Greenland Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen, and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen all signed the agreement while on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
The text of the agreement was released by the White House after signing, with it saying that the US "may establish additional defense areas in Greenland and strengthen its military operations or facilities."
The US will also "be allowed to establish an additional Defense Area at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig" and can " modernize and expand its activities in Pituffik Space Base" among other provisions.
The deal has no expiration date and also blocks non-NATO countries from establishing bases in Greenland without the agreement from the parties. The agreement will also keep going even if Greenland becomes independent from Denmark.
"We're going to have a tremendous relationship, a secure relationship, and we look forward to it," Trump said as they signed the agreement. "We'll be working very hard and very much in conjunction with each other, and it's just a real honor to be here."
The deal comes after the Trump administration has long aimed for having more security for the US in the region of Greenland, and had previously spoken about buying the whole island.
A framework for the deal was established earlier this year, where he said that Greenland is an "enormous, unsecured island is sitting undefended in a key strategic location between the United States, Russia, and China."
He then added that “we need it for strategic national security and international security.”
