COPENHAGEN/WASHINGTON, — The United States plans to reopen a former Cold War-era military base in southern Greenland and establish a military presence at another site on the island’s east coast, according to three people familiar with the matter.
The plans form part of a new security agreement between the United States, Denmark and Greenland. The three sides are expected to sign the agreement at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
Two Sites Identified
The first site is Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland. The US previously operated the Bluie West One military base there before closing it in the 1950s.
The second site is Mestersvig on Greenland’s east coast. The Danish Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, a special forces unit, currently uses the military outpost.
Two of the people familiar with the plans identified the two locations. However, the final agreement had not been made public as of Monday, and its details could still change before signing.
NATO to Oversee Arctic Security
Denmark says the agreement will place Arctic security within the framework of NATO rather than leaving responsibility solely to the United States and Denmark.
Meanwhile, the deal would allow Washington to expand its military presence in Greenland beyond the existing Pituffik Space Base.
Denmark and Greenland have said the agreement respects Greenland’s sovereignty. A NATO spokesperson has also supported the arrangement, according to Reuters.
Deal Follows Dispute Over Greenland
The planned agreement follows months of pressure from US President Donald Trump over Greenland.
Trump has repeatedly said the United States should control the semi-autonomous Danish territory. At times, he also declined to rule out military or economic measures to acquire it.
Those statements triggered a diplomatic dispute within NATO earlier this year. Subsequently, Denmark and Greenland entered talks with Washington in an effort to ease tensions.
US Military Presence During Cold War
The United States maintained a much larger military presence in Greenland during the Cold War.
At its peak, Washington operated 17 military installations and had more than 10,000 personnel on the island.
Today, Pituffik Space Base is the only US military base in Greenland. It has about 150 US military personnel, according to the Reuters report.
The new agreement would therefore mark a significant expansion of the current US military footprint in Greenland if the planned arrangements are implemented.
