As the European Union struggles to forge a unified response to Donald Trump, new details are emerging about Washington’s proposals regarding Greenland, revealing a complex geopolitical bargain centred on the Arctic, military security and control over critical natural resources.
Despite signs of a temporary easing of tensions between Washington and Brussels, diplomatic sources indicate that a draft framework is under discussion which includes a stronger NATO presence in Greenland, expanded US rights over military facilities, and strict limits on access by third powers—most notably Russia and China—to the island’s mineral wealth.
The Arctic at the heart of a new security strategy
Recent talks have focused on establishing a long-term security architecture for the Arctic, a region gaining strategic importance due to climate change, emerging shipping routes and vast reserves of rare earth elements beneath Greenland’s ice sheet.
Among the proposals is the creation of a permanent NATO mission dedicated to Arctic security, involving surveillance capabilities, forward-deployed forces and rapid-response infrastructure. The concept mirrors NATO’s deterrence posture in the Baltic Sea and Eastern Europe, designed to counter what the Alliance views as increasingly assertive Russian behaviour.
US military rights without formal transfer of sovereignty
A central pillar of the discussions is the possible revision and expansion of the 1951 defence agreement between Denmark and the United States. While that agreement already grants Washington broad access to Greenland for military operations, US officials are seeking a more stable and long-term framework.
Diplomatic sources suggest that one option under consideration would grant the United States sovereign-style rights over specific military installations, without formally transferring ownership of territory. The model is widely compared to Britain’s sovereign base areas in Cyprus, where London exercises full control within defined zones.
This idea, however, has triggered significant debate, as it directly touches on issues of national sovereignty—an area Denmark and Greenland’s leadership insist is non-negotiable.
Firm red lines from Nuuk and Copenhagen
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has publicly stated that Denmark is open to negotiations on security, investment and economic cooperation, but not on sovereignty over any part of Greenland.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has been even more explicit, stressing that while dialogue is possible, sovereignty is a “red line.” His remarks followed protests in Nuuk, where demonstrators rejected any attempt to treat Greenland as a bargaining chip between major powers.
Keeping Russia and China out
Particular emphasis is being placed on excluding non-NATO countries from exploiting Greenland’s rare earth resources, which are considered vital for defence industries, advanced technologies and the global energy transition.
US officials openly link Greenland to future defence initiatives, including the proposed “Golden Dome” missile defence system, elements of which could be stationed in the Arctic.
Early-stage talks, political decisions ahead
Despite the growing speculation, senior NATO military officials stress that discussions remain at an early stage and that no operational planning has yet begun. Any concrete steps, they say, will require clear political guidance and broad consensus among allies.
What is increasingly clear is that Greenland has become a focal point of renewed great-power competition, with the Arctic emerging as a strategic arena far beyond a simple diplomatic dispute.
