NATO member states agree that it is necessary to establish a permanent NATO presence in the Arctic region, which also includes the area around Greenland. This was stated by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen when she arrived at the European Council summit in Brussels. She also emphasized that Denmark will not negotiate its sovereignty with the United States. TASR informs about it according to the reports of the AFP and DPA agencies.
In short:
- NATO agreed on a permanent presence in the Arctic
- Denmark refuses to negotiate its sovereignty with the US
- Trump backed away from tariffs and ruled out the use of force
- The Danish Prime Minister appreciated the support of European states
US President Donald Trump announced a framework agreement on Greenland and the entire Arctic region on Wednesday after negotiations with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Thanks to it, according to his own words, he retreated from his original intention to impose an additional duty on imports from the eight European countries that were actively involved in the dispute over Greenland, and at the same time ruled out the use of force to obtain Greenland.
Denmark’s support
Frederiksen thanked the European states that stood up for Denmark and Greenland. According to her, support in this very difficult situation was extremely important.
Trump justified his interest in Greenland with national security and alleged threats from Russia and China. After the negotiations, NATO announced that it would strengthen security in the Arctic. According to Frederiksen, Denmark also asked the Alliance to increase its presence in the area.
NATO’s clear position
“Everyone in NATO, the Arctic, but also the other member states, agree that we need a permanent NATO presence in the Arctic region, including around Greenland,” said the Danish Prime Minister.
The details of the agreement Trump mentioned remain unclear, but an AFP source says it includes a provision that the United States and Denmark renegotiate a 1951 defense treaty that covers Greenland. Trump also said the deal would give the US “full access” to Greenland.
Before the summit in Brussels, Frederiksen stressed that it is not possible to negotiate Denmark’s sovereignty. “We are willing to work with the US as we have always done on security. But our red lines are that our democratic rules are not up for debate,” she said. He hopes that the US and Denmark will find a political solution to the Greenland issue within the framework of democracy and cooperation as allies.
