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Major update: US, Denmark and Greenland sign Arctic defence agreement allowing two new US bases
The United States, Denmark and Greenland signed a new Greenland defence agreement in New York on September 22. The published text allows Washington to expand Pituffik Space Base and establish defence areas at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig while reaffirming Danish sovereignty and Greenlanders' right to self-determination.
Greenland · US-Denmark security agreement · 2026.09.22 · 17:20 UTC
The United States, Denmark and Greenland signed a new Greenland defence agreement in New York on September 22. The published text allows Washington to expand Pituffik Space Base and establish defence areas at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig while reaffirming Danish sovereignty and Greenlanders' right to self-determination.
Why it matters
The pact significantly expands US military access in the Arctic and bars non-NATO states from establishing military facilities or a persistent troop presence without the parties' agreement. It enters into force only after the necessary Danish and Greenlandic parliamentary procedures; technical details for the two new sites remain to be agreed.
Full report
The White House text says the US may modernize and expand Pituffik Space Base and establish new defence areas at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig. Modalities, scale and technical details require mutual agreement, and any further defence areas must pass through a consultation process.
US military vessels, aircraft, forces and vehicles receive access and movement rights between defence areas by land, sea and air. US military aircraft may overfly and land in Greenland, but implementation remains subject to agreed arrangements and review through the Permanent Committee.
The text reaffirms the Kingdom of Denmark's sovereignty and territorial integrity and Greenlanders' right to self-determination under international law. It does not transfer sovereignty to Washington; Trump's description of 'permanent control' is political language, while the agreement itself is built around consultation and mutual consent.
Non-NATO states may not establish manned or unmanned military installations or maintain persistent forces in Greenland unless the parties agree otherwise. The text also directs Greenland and Denmark to screen threatening foreign control, influence or access to non-public information in sensitive sectors such as critical infrastructure and resource extraction.
The agreement has no end date and may be amended only by mutual consent, but it enters into force only after required parliamentary procedures are completed and Denmark together with Greenland notifies the US by diplomatic note. Verification status: corrected/updated. News value: A. Origin: Europe (Greenland/Denmark). Primary section: Security. Related regions: US, Europe and World.
This report is an original summary based on verified sources, not a verbatim reproduction.
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