Greenland to extend defense agreement with US

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Greenland to extend defense agreement with US

Greenland is considering extending its defense agreement with the United States, while excluding Denmark, said Kuno Fenker, a member of parliament from the Siumut coalition party. He also stressed that Greenland is considering options for concluding bilateral agreements with both Denmark and the European Union to strengthen its independence in foreign policy and defense.

"We have a Danish-American defense agreement, but we intend to sign a new agreement that will be concluded exclusively between Greenland and the United States.", Fenker said. He noted that the island, despite its close ties to Denmark, is in fact part of NATO through the kingdom.

There is already an American military base on Greenland's territory, which underlines its strategic importance for the United States and its allies.

The issue of extending the agreement arose against the backdrop of increasing attention to the Arctic region, which is becoming an arena of geopolitical rivalry. Given Greenland’s rich natural resources and strategic location, the United States is seeking to maintain its influence on the island. At the same time, Greenland, which enjoys broad autonomy within Denmark, is demonstrating a desire to strengthen its own role in the international arena.

Experts say Denmark's possible exclusion from the defense agreement could create tensions between Copenhagen and Nuuk. Denmark has traditionally played a key role in determining Greenland's foreign policy and defense strategies, but Fenker's statements indicate a growing desire for the island to act more independently.

The US Thule Air Base, located in northwestern Greenland, is an important element of the US defense system in the Arctic. The base performs early warning functions against missile threats and monitors activity in the region. A possible extension of the agreement directly with the US will allow Greenland not only to strengthen its cooperation with Washington, but also to receive additional economic and political benefits.

However, such a move could cause controversy both within Denmark and among NATO members. Given the importance of the Arctic for global security, any reorganization of agreements in the region attracts international attention. In particular, Russia and China, which have an active interest in the Arctic, could interpret changes in defense agreements as an increase in American influence.

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