Agreement between trump and Denmark on Greenland: US permanent presence on the island and veto of China and Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump announced a security agreement on Greenland on Friday that would in practice consolidate the U.S. military presence on that Arctic island, Denmark's autonomous territory, and veto the presence of China and Russia.

Trump himself has described the deal as "historic," and it will be signed next week, at the UN High Level Week in New York, and requires the approval of Greenland and Denmark.

Earlier this year, Trump caused a crisisin relations with Greenland, Denmark, and the rest of NATO by suggesting the possibility of invading the island as a strategic goal for US security.

What's in the agreement?

Although the full content of the agreement has not yet been disclosed, US sources claim that it guarantees the US a lasting role in Greenland's security and that Washington's rivals will be prohibited from having a military presence or unauthorized investment on the island.

According to Washington, the treaty empowers the United States to "do what is necessary in Greenland" to ensure the safety of the island and the United States, including permanent presence on the island and flight rights, and to increase the number of American bases if necessary.

The United States currently has a military base on the island after decades of reduced presence, but the Danish authorities have recalled that this policy was a Washington decision.

The new agreement explicitly prohibits the existence of bases in any non-NATO country in Greenland, so China and Russia could not establish bases or deploy troops on the island.

The treaty, also according to Washington, is permanent and will continue to apply in the event of the eventual independence of Greenland, where the Greenlandic people have recognized the right of self-determination vis-à-vis Denmark.

What do Denmark and Greenland say?

The governments of Denmark and Greenland have confirmed in a statement that they intend to sign an agreement with the United States next week to "strengthen security" on the Arctic island, but have not provided further details.

The Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, has welcomed the 'good vision' of an agreement which 'strengthens security on all sides' while recognising the 'sovereignty and territorial integrity' of Denmark and the 'right of the people of Greenland to self-determination'.

In the same note, Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen added that the agreement recognizes the island's "interests" and its "place in international cooperation."