The United States and Denmark plan to renegotiate the 1951 defense agreement that underpins the U.S. military presence in Greenland, according to a person familiar with the matter, a move that reflects shifting security realities in the Arctic and Greenland’s expanded autonomy within the Kingdom of Denmark.
The discussions are expected to focus on updating the legal framework governing operations at Pituffik Space Base — the longtime U.S. facility formerly known as Thule Air Base — and clarifying the role of Greenland’s self-rule government, the person said. Specifics of the talks are still being shaped, and officials in Washington, Copenhagen and Nuuk have not publicly outlined a timeline or scope.
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Signed at the height of the early Cold War, the 1951 defense agreement allowed the United States to build and operate installations in Greenland for the defense of the North Atlantic area. Pituffik has since become integral to missile warning and space surveillance networks, making it one of the most strategically significant sites in the High North.
While Greenland remains part of the Danish realm, it gained Home Rule in 1979 and Self-Rule in 2009, with expanded authority over domestic affairs and a growing voice in foreign and security issues that affect the island. Any updated arrangement is expected to acknowledge that reality, with Greenlandic leaders seeking greater consultation on defense activities, environmental responsibilities and the local economic impact of U.S. operations.
The base’s history carries enduring sensitivities. Construction in the 1950s displaced Inuit communities, and a 1968 crash of a U.S. B-52 near Thule scattered nuclear materials, prompting cleanup and compensation disputes that resonated for decades. Environmental remediation and community engagement are likely to feature in any modernized pact, the person said.
Geopolitics are adding urgency. Russia’s war in Ukraine, intensified great-power competition in the Arctic, and the opening of northern sea routes as ice retreats have heightened NATO’s focus on the region. Washington has stepped up diplomatic and economic engagement with Greenland, reopening its consulate in Nuuk in 2020, while Denmark has invested in Arctic surveillance and infrastructure alongside allied efforts.
Officials have not signaled that renegotiation would reduce the U.S. footprint. Rather, an updated accord would aim to codify existing cooperation under contemporary legal and strategic conditions, aligning the defense framework with current operational needs and Greenland’s political status. Until any new agreement is concluded, the 1951 accord remains in force.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive deliberations. The U.S. State Department, Denmark’s Foreign Ministry and Greenland’s government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
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US, Denmark to renegotiate 1951 Greenland pact – source
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