US President Donald Trump announced a deal on Greenland’s security a few hours ago, with Washington ensuring, according to the US State Department, that China and Russia will not be able to establish military bases or deploy troops on the strategically important Arctic island.

The agreement, reached between the United States, Denmark and Greenland, strengthens the US role in the region and provides for the deployment of a US military presence, as well as measures to restrict investment from countries Washington considers adversaries.

A State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the agreement “ensures that China and Russia cannot have a base in Greenland, that they cannot send troops there and that the necessary mechanisms are in place to prevent any investment in sensitive sectors”.

At the same time, according to the official, the United States gains the ability “to act in Greenland as it deems necessary to safeguard the security and defence of the American continent”, while the agreement allows for an increase in the number of US bases on the island, depending on requirements.

Trump: “No hostile power will have a presence in Greenland”

Donald Trump announced the agreement in a post on Truth Social, claiming that the US had secured “permanent control of security and all other needs in Greenland”.

“We worked with representatives of Denmark and Greenland to ensure that the United States will forever have every ability to do whatever is required in Greenland to safeguard and defend the security of Greenland, as well as the United States of America,” he said.

The US president stressed that no US adversary would henceforth be able “to have a base in Greenland, have a military presence in Greenland or make sensitive investments in Greenland without our explicit written approval”. He also claimed that the agreement has no expiry date, describing it as an “agreement of unlimited duration”.

Mr Trump also said that the United States would immediately begin the process of deploying a “large military presence” at suitable locations in Greenland, working with the local population to develop the necessary infrastructure.

Denmark: “A good deal for NATO and Europe”

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen welcomed the agreement, stressing that it was a development “good for NATO and Europe”.

According to her, the agreement recognises “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark, as well as the right of the people of Greenland to self-determination”.

Copenhagen and the Greenlandic government earlier confirmed that an agreement had been reached on security in the Arctic and North Atlantic, while it is expected to be signed next week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Greenland welcomes the compromise

Greenland’s head of government, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said the compromise “guarantees and strengthens the security of Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark, the United States and the Western alliance”. He also said that the agreement “recognises Greenland’s interests and our position in international cooperation”.

It is recalled that the agreement comes after Donald Trump’s previous threats to annex Greenland to the United States, which had triggered reactions across Europe.