US-Nato deal: Relief and mistrust in Greenland

It's business as usual now in front of the United States consulate in Greenland's capital of Nuuk. But just a few days ago, angry Greenlanders were waving flags here in protest against US President Donald Trump's plans to annex the Arctic island.

Since the announcement of a "deal" on the the country's future on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, there has been a sense of relief, human rights activist and Nuuk resident Najannguaq Christensen told DW.

But there is also uncertainty.

" I'm not quite sure that it's a deal... from our perspective, it's just Trump being Trump," he said, adding that while there have been big announcements, little tangible action has followed.

Meanwhile, Greenland hasn't really been involved in the conversation.

Marathon negotiations begin

That is now set to change, however. On Friday afternoon, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen travelled to Greenland "to show our strong support for Greenland's people at a difficult time."

Frederiksen wants to discuss next steps with the government of the semi-autonomous Danish territory.

Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen is glad that the threats of US military intervention are off the table for now, having repeatedly stated that no one has the mandate to negotiate agreements about the country without the involvement of its government.

Denmark's Frederiksen takes a similar view, but after a meeting with Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte on Friday, she emphasised that defence and security in the Arctic are a matter for Nato as a whole. Copenhagen announced that talks with the US would start promptly.

What does the 'deal' entail?

Activist Christensen said that people in Greenland are now waiting for details on what to expect. No clear, publicly available document is available so far, only different interpretations of the framework agreement announced in Davos.

According to the US, the parties agreed on a permanent safeguard for American interests in the Arctic. This involves military, strategic, and economic issues.

Nato chief Mark Rutte, on the other hand, spoke primarily about security cooperation, making no mention of Denmark or Greenland renouncing their rights.

The current agreement on stationing US forces in Greenland, which dates back to 1951, could be amended. This agreement allows the US to use Greenland for military purposes and to operate military facilities within the framework of joint defence.

Unlike during the Cold War, when the US was active at over 20 locations in the country at times, today it operates only the Pituffik Space Base there.

The key to Trump's 'Golden Dome' plans

Greenland could become even more important for the US early warning and interception systems in the future. Trump has repeatedly described the country as crucial to his planned "Golden Dome" missile defence system, though it remains unclear how the island would actually be involved.

Greenland is also important to the US because of its location at the so-called GIUK gap. Whoever controls the bottleneck between Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom can influence access from the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.

At a time of growing tensions with Russia, this geopolitical location is becoming important once again.

Economic interests

In addition to security issues, Trump is also thinking in economic terms. Greenland has minerals that are important for the defence and high-tech industries, where the US wants to prevent China from gaining influence.

This is a sensitive issue in Nuuk. Since the beginning of extended self-government in 2009, Greenland has controlled its own mineral resources. Exclusive access or special rights for the US would be seen as an infringement on its sovereignty.

The conflict over Greenland is not only representative of US President Donald Trump's political style, but also reflects a larger shift. Climate change is opening up routes and making resources in the Arctic more accessible, forcing the major powers to review their strategies.

Uncertainty remains after de-escalation

Greenland is ready to cooperate with the US on security, defence, and investment - but not on a takeover, Christensen said.

Following the Davos announcement, many Greenlanders are relieved that military escalation is off the table for now.

Even though Trump spoke of a permanent agreement, recent months have shown that the tone in Washington can change at any time. As a result, Christensen said that he senses a great deal of uncertainty on the island.

Ultimate goal: Independence

The political situation in Greenland, which has a population of 56,000, is complicated. Both the ruling and opposition parties are pursuing the long-term goal of independence. But the crisis sparked by Trump's demands to make it a US territory has put the urgency of this demand into perspective.

According to Christensen, before the escalation, Greenland was in a "decolonial period" in which issues such as justice, reappraisal, and greater self-determination had come to the fore.

This has changed. Independence is now seen as an even longer-term project, given that the current global situation has increased the need for protection.

Greenland does not have its own armed forces, and the concern among many residents is that they will ultimately be excluded from conversation as equal partners, and once again become the object of strategic interests.

"We have already been colonised once," Christensen said. "We do not want to be colonised twice."

- Deutsche Welle

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