Greenland wants to expand its defense agreement with the US directly, without Denmark's participation, Greenlandic MP Kuno Fenker said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
„We are a de facto NATO country, through Denmark. The United States has a military presence. We have a defense agreement between Denmark and the United States. We want to resume that, but only with a defense agreement between Greenland and the United States. And we can conclude an agreement with Denmark separately. We can even conclude a bilateral agreement with the EU. The options are open”.
On Wednesday, TV2, citing a secret report from the Danish Armed Forces, reported that Denmark plans to build an air base in western Greenland for a “show of force“, as well as to increase the staff of the main headquarters of the Armed Forces Arctic Command in the capital of the island of Nuuk.
In early May 2024, the head of the Danish Ministry of Defense, Troels Lund Poulsen, said that the country's government was considering strengthening its military presence in Greenland. It was noted that, among other things, the possibility of deploying units of the Arctic Command in Kangerlussuaq was being considered. Poulsen stressed that the question of how the armed forces would develop the local airport was being considered.
On the eve of his inauguration, Donald Trump repeatedly stated that Greenland should become part of the United States. According to him, the island is strategically important for national security and the protection of the “free world”, including from China and Russia. At the same time, the future head of the White House refused to promise that he would not use military force to establish control over this territory.
Until 1953, Greenland was a colony of Denmark and still remains part of the kingdom. In 2009, the island received autonomy with the possibility of self-government and independent choices in internal politics.