U.S. President Donald Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen signed the agreement in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
OSLO, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Danish and Greenlandic leaders welcomed the new security agreement signed Tuesday by the United States, Denmark and Greenland, while Greenland's leader cautioned that rebuilding public trust in Washington would take time.
U.S. President Donald Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen signed the agreement in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Nielsen in New York after the signing, Frederiksen said the agreement strengthened both the kingdom's security and broader transatlantic security, Danish broadcaster DR reported. She said she hoped it would help rebuild closer ties after months of tension.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said an agreement was possible because Washington shifted its position during negotiations. "The Americans started somewhere different from where we ended up," he told DR in New York.
Nielsen said Greenland had maintained its principles and that its red lines had been respected. However, he acknowledged the dispute's lasting impact on Greenlandic society.
"We have had close cooperation with the United States over time, but clearly we need to rebuild trust among people back home, and that will take time," Greenlandic broadcaster KNR quoted him as saying.
Greenland's official responsible for foreign affairs, Mute B. Egede, described the agreement as a historic achievement. Speaking to KNR after the signing, Egede said Greenland must be consulted about its requirements before new military bases were established.
The deal allows Washington to expand activities at Pituffik Space Base and establish additional defense areas at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig. It also restricts non-NATO military presence and certain foreign investments in sensitive sectors, while reaffirming Denmark's sovereignty and Greenland's right to self-determination.
The agreement also drew support from EU and NATO leaders.
European Council President Antonio Costa called it "a positive step for transatlantic cooperation and Arctic security," grounded in "respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination."
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said stronger security in the Arctic and North Atlantic was essential for both Europe and North America, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the deal strengthened the NATO partnership and security in the High North.
The agreement will enter into force once Denmark and Greenland complete the necessary parliamentary procedures and notify the United States through a diplomatic note. ■
