U.S., Denmark and Greenland Sign Arctic Security Pact

Overview

• Leaders of the United States, Denmark and Greenland signed the trilateral security agreement on Sept. 22–23 at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, formalising changes to Cold War‑era defence arrangements.
• The text grants the U.S. rights to modernise Pituffik Space Base and to establish defence areas at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig while allowing broad movement, overflight and undersea access for U.S. forces.
• The pact bars non‑NATO states from setting up military installations in Greenland and creates a tripartite screening rule that requires unanimous approval for sensitive investments by non‑NATO or non‑EU actors.
• No territory is transferred to the United States; the agreement reaffirms the Kingdom of Denmark’s sovereignty and explicitly recognises Greenland’s right to self‑determination and future arrangements tied to NATO.
• The deal is not yet in force and must clear Danish and Greenlandic parliaments and detailed implementation planning on timelines, construction, funding and local safeguards before U.S. deployments begin.