Greenland’s Prime Minister, Mute Egende, said on Monday, January 13, 2025, that Greenland is seeking closer cooperation with the US in the field of defence and in the field of mineral wealth extraction.

Greenland is an autonomous region of Denmark, and the US considers its geopolitical position important for security reasons. The US already maintains a military base in Greenland under the US Space Command.

On the same day, the Danish Foreign Minister said that he agrees that the US has security concerns about the Arctic, and together with Greenland, the Danish government is ready to start talks with the US.

The Minister of Defence of Denmark, Troels Lund Poulsen, admitted in his statements on January 9 that Denmark has neglected the defence of Greenland, as he stated. For years Denmark has neglected the necessary investments in aircraft and ships, but he emphasised that he did not say there are plans to increase the US military footprint in Greenland. 

In December 2024, Denmark’s Minister of Defence announced a €1.6 billion defence boost package for Greenland, which includes the purchase of two new inspection vessels, two new long-range drones, and two additional guide dog team sleds. The announcement of the said package was made a day after the statement of the newly elected US President, Donald Trump, where he said that for the purposes of national security and freedom around the world, the United States of America considers that the ownership and control of Greenland is absolutely necessary.

Also read: Denmark | Huge Increase in Defence Spending for Greenland