EPAUS President Donald Trump announced that there is a “framework of a future agreement regarding Greenland”.
The surprise statement came after days of rising tensions, which culminated in a threat to impose economic sanctions on eight close US allies who opposed his plans to seize the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
So what can this agreement do and will it be accepted by Denmark and Greenland – both of which have made it clear that they will not give up the sovereignty of the world’s largest island.
What is said about the framework deal?
President Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social media platform on Wednesday, following speeches at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
“Based on a very fruitful meeting that I had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we formed the framework of a future deal regarding Greenland,” he said.
“This solution, if completed, will be a good one for the United States of America, and for all Nato Nations.”
He did not provide details, but said talks would continue to reach an agreement.
Rutte, for his part, said he did not discuss the important issue of Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland in his meeting with Trump.
Denmark’s view is that the issue is far from over and that any agreement must still be struck between Greenland and Denmark and the US.
Denmark’s Prime Minister Metter Frederiksen said he had spoken regularly with Rutte and the Danes could negotiate “on everything political; security, investment, economy”.
“But we will not negotiate with our sovereignty. I have been informed that this has not happened,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart said in a statement after the meeting between Trump and Rutte: “Negotiations between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States will continue to be aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never get a foothold – economic or military – in Greenland.”
However, one of the two Greenlandic lawmakers in the Danish parliament, Aaja Chenmitz, said that “NATO in any case has no right to negotiate anything without us, Greenland. There is nothing about us without us”.
The UK’s Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said she hoped that this would mean that there would be “direct discussions that Denmark has demanded, for Denmark, Greenland and the United States on the development of Greenland, the protection of Greenland’s sovereignty”.
Any details on a possible deal?
Denmark and Greenland’s comments on sovereignty are non-negotiable. appeared to push back on reports that among the ideas being floated unofficially was an arrangement similar to two UK-controlled military bases in Cyprus.
the Excerpts from the New York Times anonymous officials said that one idea discussed was to give Denmark sovereignty over small areas in Greenland where the US would build military bases, like the UK model.
Akrotiri and Dhekelia have been under UK sovereignty since Cyprus became independent in 1960. That treaty has since been modified, but essentially it is considered British territory.
Asked if she knew what was in the framework agreement, Yvette Cooper said only that there were two things she hoped would happen.
“The first is to return to some of the discussions that Denmark and Greenland have requested in the United States, where they started discussions in Washington last week and that’s what they want to focus on,” said the UK foreign secretary.
“These are practical discussions about Greenland’s security, while it is very clear that Greenland’s sovereignty is not up for negotiation.”
In arguing in favor of seizing Greenland, Trump mentioned the threat of Chinese and Russian ships around the island, although defense officials insisted that there was no increased threat from Russia and China recently.
At this point, the NATO allies tried to assure the US that they will improve the security of the Arctic and Mark Rutte told the Reuters news agency on Thursday that the framework agreement will also require this contribution.
“We will be together in Nato with our senior commanders to find out what is needed,” he said, adding: “I have no doubt that we can do it quickly. I certainly hope for 2026, I hope even early 2026.”
One of the ideas that the UK is asking for is the setting up of an Arctic Sentry, Yvette Cooper said on Thursday – which is “very similar to the approach that NATO does in Baltic watch“- a mission to increase the vigilance of ships in the Baltic Sea after critical submarine cables were cut.
Is there any deal that lacks ‘ownership’ please Trump?
The US has had a military presence in Greenland since the end of World War II.
Under a 1951 treaty with Denmark, the US could bring as many troops as it wanted to Greenland. It already has more than 100 military personnel permanently stationed at its base in Pituffik in the northwestern tip of the territory.
The US has military bases in many countries – including Germany – but they do not constitute sovereign territory.
Trump insists that a Greenland lease agreement is not enough.
“Countries must have ownership and you defend ownership, you don’t defend leases. And we must defend Greenland,” he said two weeks ago.
To claim the island, he threatened to use force – until a U-turn in Davos where he dropped that threat to the comfort of his NATO allies.
NATO was founded in 1949 on the principle that an attack on one ally is an attack on all. These attacks were intended to come from outside, and Denmark made it clear that a military attack would end the trans-Atlantic alliance, of which the US was the main partner.
Why does Trump want Greenland?
Trump has wanted to buy Greenland from Denmark since his first time in office – and he’s not the only US president to try to do so.
Trump said the US needs Greenland to defend against possible attacks from Russia and China.
He also said that Greenland is important for his plan to build a Golden Dome defense systemdesigned to protect the US against missile attacks, and that European allies can cooperate in this effort.
With Greenland’s strategic location, the US is talking about vast – and largely untapped – reserves of rare earth minerals, many of which are important for technologies including mobile phones and electric vehicles.
Trump did not say that the US is after Greenland’s riches, but that a US control of the island “puts everyone in a good position, especially when it comes to security and the minerals”.
“It’s a deal that’s forever.”