Greenland Parliament Ratifies US Security Deal in 16-0 Vote, Clearing Way for Two New American Bases

NUUK, Greenland. Greenland's parliament voted 16 to 0 on Tuesday to ratify a security agreement with Denmark and the United States, opening the way for two new American military bases on the island and a larger United States role in Arctic defence. Seven lawmakers abstained. No lawmaker voted against the deal.

The agreement was signed in September by President Donald Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. It was written to end months of tension that followed Trump's repeated threats to take control of Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory that sits in the Arctic between North America and Europe and holds large mineral deposits.

What the deal does

The deal expands the role of the United States military in Greenland. It makes two new American bases possible and covers Trump's planned Golden Dome missile defence system. At the same time, it reaffirms Danish sovereignty over the island and the right of Greenlanders to decide their own future. The agreement would still apply if Greenland one day chooses independence, and its stated goal is to strengthen security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic.

Greenlandic Foreign Minister Mute Egede called the ratification an important step for the territory. Speaking to lawmakers in Nuuk shortly before the vote, he said: "We must accept that peace and stability are no longer something we can take for granted." A majority of lawmakers had already signalled support for the deal in a first debate last month.

Doubts from the independence camp

Not every party backed the deal with enthusiasm. Naleraq, the opposition party closest to Greenland's push for independence, questioned what the island gets out of it. Its chair, Pele Broberg, said: "We are looking for a better agreement that we can benefit from when we become an independent state. But no economic benefit has been gained from the agreement." The seven abstentions came as that argument played out on the floor of the chamber.

Months of pressure behind the vote

The vote closes a difficult year in Greenland's relations with Washington. In January this year, the White House said Trump had been exploring ways to acquire the island, including the possible use of military force. The disclosure unsettled governments across Europe and set off months of diplomacy aimed at lowering the temperature. The September agreement was the result: more American access and a bigger American footprint on the island, with Greenland staying under Danish control.

What happens next

Greenland's vote is only half of the ratification. Denmark's parliament gives the bill a first reading on November 11, followed by a second reading and a vote on November 19. The agreement enters into force once Denmark and Greenland have both completed ratification. It does not need approval from the United States Senate.