Denmark today announced a new agreement between the country’s political ;parties regarding strengthening military presence in the Arctic and North Atlantic regions. This first agreement contains initiatives with financial commitments valued at approximately 14 billion Danish kroner (about US$2 billion).
The agreement comes amid Denmark’s evolving challenges in the regions, including increasing Russian-Chinese cooperation in the Arctic and recent rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump to purchase Greenland—a self-governing country within the Kingdom of Denmark.
“We must face the fact that there are serious challenges regarding security and defence in the Arctic and North Atlantic”, said Minister of Defence Troels Lund Poulsen.
Capabilities such as three new Arctic naval vessels, further long-range drones and satellites are some of the initiatives covered by the agreement on the Arctic and North Atlantic region. The agreement was concluded between the Danish Government and the political parties behind the Danish Defence Agreement in close collaboration with the Greenlandic Government and the Faroese Government. The parties have also agreed on negotiating a second agreement on this issue in the first half of 2025.
”Greenland is facing a changing security landscape. I am pleased with the steps we are taking towards increased security in and around Greenland with this partial defence agreement. Naalakkersuisut is looking forward to continuing the dialogue with the Government of Denmark,” commented Vivian Motzfeldt, Minister of Statehood and Foreign Affairs.
The parties behind the agreement aim to improve capabilities for surveillance and maintaining sovereignty in the region. At the same time, support to Allies and NATO’s efforts in the Arctic and North Atlantic is essential to strengthening overall security and defence.
Denmark’s current capacities include four aging inspection vessels, a Challenger surveillance plane and 12 dog sled patrols.
The United States has a permanent military presence at the Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland, a strategic location for its ballistic missile early-warning system.
(Photo of political representatives from Danish Ministry of Defence and of Greenland Arctic scene by Dreamstime).