Denmark relieved by the Greenland agreement, after Trump's annexation threats

Denmark stressed on Saturday that the Greenland agreement announced by Donald Trump respected its "red lines" by guaranteeing its sovereignty even though Washington claims to obtain "permanent control" over the security of the Arctic territory.

"I simply note that Danish sovereignty is respected, that international law is respected, and that this is what we demand," said French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday evening, one of the few European leaders to react immediately to this compromise which he believes "helps to calm things down."

President Trump had provoked a major crisis with the Europeans by threatening to simply annex the autonomous Danish territory, with its strategic position and coveted resources, to the United States.

"A long period of uncertainty will, we hope, be followed by a binding agreement that will strengthen security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic, and consequently also our common security within NATO and in Europe," Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said on social media.

The agreement, which he said respects the "red lines" set by Denmark, is "important" in light of the evolving security situation.

Although the text has not been published, Washington has emphasized that it prevents China and Russia from establishing military bases in Greenland or making sensitive investments there without its consent. It paves the way for a strengthening of the American military presence.

- New foundations -

Denmark and Greenland both welcomed it, determined that they would sign it on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly scheduled for New York next week.

The agreement "recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom (of Denmark) and the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination," said Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

In Nuuk, the territory's capital, residents interviewed by AFP said they were generally in favor of an agreement with the United States, while also highlighting the limited information available.

"We hope the leaders have reached a good agreement, because our country needs to be protected, both in the air and at sea," said Bikki Kleist Jepsen, a teacher. "Denmark hadn't paid enough attention to this for many years, and it was only when Trump started stirring up trouble that they seemed to wake up."

Søren Kreutzmann says he is "relieved for the moment." But this hairdresser remains cautious due to a lack of details: "Whenever it comes to the United States and Trump, I feel conflicted."

Greenland is strategically located on the shortest route between Russia and the United States. It holds untapped deposits of rare earth elements and could play a vital role as polar ice melts and new shipping routes emerge.

Among the few details of the agreement made public, Donald Trump assured that the United States would "immediately begin the process of developing a significant military presence".

According to several media outlets, the United States plans to open three new military bases in the south, in addition to the Pituffik base they already operate in the north. This facility is a crucial component of the American missile defense system.

- "Immense pressure" -

A 1951 defense agreement, updated in 2004, already gave the US armed forces virtually free rein to deploy installations in Greenland, provided they notified the authorities. Washington has maintained up to 17 military installations there.

The Republican president's ambitions regarding Greenland have shaken Europeans, who suddenly feel threatened by a power they have always relied on for their military protection.

US Vice President JD Vance visited in March 2025, a trip then considered by Nuuk and Copenhagen as a provocation.

The American president had even mentioned the possibility of "using force" to seize the territory of 57,000 inhabitants, sowing concern within the EU and NATO.

For Ulrik Pram Gad, a researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS), the important thing for Denmark was to "defend the principles of international law, sovereignty, self-determination, territorial integrity", as well as "to ease transatlantic tensions".

He told AFP there was "great relief in Nuuk and Greenland, which are under immense pressure": "The problem is whether we can trust Donald Trump to respect the agreement."