Greenland, Denmark and the United States signed an Arctic security agreement at the United Nations in New York on 22 September 2026. The published agreement names Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and Mestersvig in eastern Greenland as future locations for US defence areas. It also allows the United States to modernise and expand its activities at the existing Pituffik Space Base in north-western Greenland.

The three governments must still agree on the practical and technical details for Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig. According to the Government of Greenland, establishing new defence areas will require Greenlandic and Danish approval and must take account of local communities and the environment.

The agreement builds on the 1951 Defence Agreement between Denmark and the United States. It also provides a process for considering other defence areas and unmanned military installations in Greenland, and sets out provisions for US military access by air and sea.

Greenland is a signatory to the agreement. Its text reaffirms the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and recognises the Greenlandic people’s right to self-determination. It must pass the necessary parliamentary procedures before entering into force.

Arctic Portal reported on the proposed agreement on 21 September, before its text and the proposed locations were made public.

Sources:  Published agreement; Government of Greenland announcement; Government of Greenland fact sheet.