Denmark expects US talks on Greenland to yield deal by year-end

Denmark and the United States are closing in on a deal over Greenland, with Danish officials expecting an agreement by the end of 2025. The negotiations focus on expanding US military access and security cooperation in the Arctic, not on transferring sovereignty, a distinction that Copenhagen has made emphatically clear.

The Pentagon is currently negotiating access to three new areas in Greenland for potential military facilities. These would supplement the existing framework established under the 1951 Defense of Greenland Agreement, which was last amended in 2004.

What’s actually on the table

Danish officials have maintained that sovereignty over Greenland is non-negotiable. Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen stated a preference for continued ties with Denmark over US governance back in January.

In January, President Trump referenced a “framework of a future deal” that would focus on military arrangements.