1 hour ago
Last Updated:January 29, 2026, 16:12 IST
US, Denmark and Greenland officials met to discuss a new Arctic security framework, balancing US interests with Greenland’s sovereignty, amid rising its strategic importance.
US, Denmark and Greenland officials met to discuss a new Arctic security framework, balancing US interests with Greenland’s sovereignty, amid rising its strategic importance. (Image: Canva)
Senior officials from the United States, Denmark and Greenland met on Wednesday to explore a new framework agreement on Greenland, aimed at addressing Washington’s security concerns in the Arctic without transferring sovereignty of the island to the US as reported by Bloomberg.
The talks are the latest attempt to balance President Donald Trump’s push for a larger American footprint on the strategically located Arctic territory with Denmark and Greenland’s insistence that their “red lines" on sovereignty remain intact.
“We discussed how we can address US concerns about security in the Arctic while respecting the red lines of the Kingdom," said Oliver Routhe Skov, spokesperson for Denmark’s embassy in Washington.
The negotiations come days after Trump announced what he described as a “framework of a future deal," while also pledging not to impose tariffs on European countries opposing any US move to take control of Greenland. The statement marked a shift in tone after weeks of pressure from Trump on Denmark and Greenland, which sparked strong pushback from Copenhagen, Nuuk and several European allies.
Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory under Danish rule, has gained increasing strategic importance due to its location in the Arctic, abundance of oil, rare earth metals,oil, gas and growing global competition involving China and Russia. Denmark and Greenland’s leaders are currently visiting Berlin and Paris to reinforce European support as talks with Washington continue.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier on Wednesday that discussions were progressing positively, even as Democratic lawmakers criticised the Trump administration for straining relations with NATO allies.
Trump outlined the contours of the proposed deal after meeting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Their discussions reportedly included the possibility of deploying US missiles, expanding mining rights to counter Chinese influence, and strengthening NATO’s overall presence in the Arctic.
Danish officials have reiterated they are open to reviewing and expanding cooperation with Washington on defence and security in Greenland, provided the talks do not question the island’s sovereignty.
As part of the negotiations, US officials are examining revisions to the bilateral defence agreement with Denmark that could remove existing limits on the American military presence in Greenland, according to earlier reporting by Bloomberg.
The current agreement, first signed in 1951 and amended in 2004, requires the United States to consult and inform Denmark and Greenland before making any significant changes to US military operations or facilities on the island.
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Copenhagen, Denmark
First Published:
January 29, 2026, 16:12 IST
News world US, Denmark And Greenland Discuss New Framework On Arctic Security
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