The New York Times reports that President Donald Trump has unveiled plans for a stronger U.S. presence in Greenland, sparking diplomatic discussions in Europe and NATO. According to senior Western officials cited by the newspaper, the draft plan aims to increase American influence in the Arctic through military deployments and potential territorial “pockets”, but does not include transferring full sovereignty of Greenland to the United States.
The proposals envision the creation of a new NATO Arctic mission, dubbed “Arctic Sentry”, modeled on operations in the Baltic and Eastern Europe, designed to counter Russian activity. They also call for revising the 1951 Denmark-U.S. agreement on American military presence, possibly allowing U.S.-controlled areas within Greenland, similar to the British bases in Cyprus.
The plan would also restrict access to Greenland’s rare minerals for non-NATO countries, specifically targeting Russia and China.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen welcomed some negotiation points but categorically rejected any transfer of sovereignty. “We can negotiate on politics, security, investment, and the economy. But not on our sovereignty,” she said.
Greenlandic Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen similarly opposed granting the U.S. control over military bases, calling sovereignty a “red line.”
NATO officials described the talks as early-stage. Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, NATO Military Committee Chair, confirmed discussions are underway to establish a framework for Arctic and Greenland security. U.S. officials have not provided further details beyond Trump’s statements in Davos.
Tensions over Greenland appear to be easing. Speaking in Davos, Trump ruled out military force and announced agreements with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to cancel planned tariffs on imports from Denmark and other European countries.
European leaders expressed cautious optimism, framing the developments as a potential boost to Arctic security and NATO cohesion. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, “We will protect Denmark, Greenland, and the North from the threat of Russia,” adding that Europe will continue to defend sovereignty and territorial integrity through dialogue among Denmark, Greenland, and the United States.
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