Denmark, Greenland, and the United States are set to formalize a new security agreement concerning Greenland, with the signing expected to take place at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Danish officials have described the deal as a shift in the responsibility for Arctic security, moving from a bilateral arrangement primarily involving Washington and Copenhagen toward greater involvement by the NATO alliance.

The agreement, which has not been publicly released in detail, comes after several months of intense pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump had previously expressed a desire for the United States to assume control of Greenland, at times refusing to rule out economic or military measures to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory. His statements sparked a diplomatic crisis within NATO and prompted negotiations aimed at resolving tensions.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen emphasized that the new arrangement would not concentrate security responsibility solely with Denmark or the United States. Instead, he indicated that NATO would play a significant role in overseeing security in the Arctic region. Rasmussen also acknowledged a willingness to accommodate the U.S.’s security interests, although he declined to discuss specific terms of the agreement.

President Trump claimed the deal grants the United States “permanent control” over Greenland's security and asserted that no hostile foreign power would be allowed a military presence on the island without U.S. approval. However, neither Denmark nor Greenland has confirmed this characterization. Greenland’s government has sought to reassure its population that the agreement will respect the island’s sovereignty and offer tangible benefits.

This new agreement appears to build on the foundation of a 1951 defense pact between Denmark and the United States, which remains the legal basis for the U.S. military presence in Greenland. Historically, the U.S. has maintained strategic interests on the island dating back to World War II, beginning with a 1941 accord negotiated by Danish envoy Henrik Kauffmann during Nazi Germany’s occupation of Denmark. The island’s location was crucial for controlling North Atlantic supply routes, leading to the establishment of multiple U.S. military facilities by the early 1940s. In 1946, the United States attempted to purchase Greenland for $100 million in gold, but Denmark declined. Instead, the 1951 agreement granted extensive U.S. military rights tied to NATO’s existence.

Ulrik Pram Gad, a researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, suggested that the current agreement may represent an effort to strengthen NATO unity by addressing security in Greenland collaboratively, rather than allowing it to remain a point of contention between Denmark and the U.S.

NATO welcomed the forthcoming deal, stating it would enhance security, stability, and cooperation in the Arctic, a region increasingly viewed as strategically important due to climate change and growing geopolitical interest.

Denmark has acknowledged having underinvested in Greenland’s defense in past decades and has committed to expanding its military presence, including an increased NATO troop deployment. Today, the primary U.S. installation on the island is the Pituffik Space Base, home to around 150 military personnel, down from over 10,000 during the Cold War. The new agreement is expected to guide future security arrangements amid evolving Arctic challenges.