The president of the United States, Donald Trumpassures that Washington will obtain sovereignty over the land where its military bases are located in Greenland. This is stated in an interview published this Saturday by the newspaper The New York Postin which he links this movement to this week in Davos with NATO.
According to Trump, the understanding would allow the United States to exercise sovereign control over the land occupied by its military installations on the Arctic island, a territory that belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark, although it enjoys extensive self-government.
The declaration introduces an element of enormous political and legal significance in a key region for international security.
Greenland, key piece in the Arctic chessboard
Greenland has become in recent years a first-rate strategic enclaveboth due to its geographical position – between North America, Europe and the Arctic – and due to the growing military and economic interest in the area.
The progressive thaw opens new sea routes and facilitates access to natural resources, which has increased competition between powers.
The United States has maintained a military presence on the island for decadesespecially through the , essential for early warning and anti-missile defense systems. However, sovereignty over the territory has remained Danish, with agreements regulating American military use without formal cession of the land.
Trump’s words suggest a qualitative leap: moving from an agreed presence to sovereign control of military lands, something that has no clear precedent in the relationship between Washington, Copenhagen and the Greenlandic authorities.
An agreement linked to NATO
The US president links this possible change to the framework negotiated with NATO, although no official details or documents confirming this transfer of sovereignty have been made public. Neither the Danish Government nor the autonomous executive of Greenland have commented, for the moment.
From a legal point of view, Such sovereignty would require complex bilateral agreements and, predictably, the approval of Denmark.. Furthermore, it would open an internal debate in Greenland, where a significant part of the population defends moving towards greater autonomy – or even independence – and views with suspicion any movement that reinforces external control over its territory.
