A significant diplomatic confrontation between the United States and European allies over Greenland has been substantially de-escalated following high-level discussions at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he had established a “framework” for a future agreement concerning Greenland and the broader Arctic region through negotiations with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
The breakthrough prompted the immediate withdrawal of threatened tariffs against eight European nations—the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland. These punitive measures, scheduled to commence on February 1st, had been proposed in response to European opposition to American ambitions regarding the Danish territory.
President Trump characterized the developing arrangement as “the ultimate long-term deal” that would provide the United States with substantial strategic advantages, particularly in security and mineral access. He emphasized that the agreement contained “no time limit” and would theoretically endure indefinitely, though specific details remained undisclosed.
However, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen promptly clarified that NATO possesses no authority to negotiate on Denmark’s behalf regarding Greenlandic sovereignty. “The position of Denmark and that of Greenland are the same, and no negotiations were held yesterday with NATO about our sovereignty,” she stated unequivocally in a television appearance.
According to sources familiar with the discussions, the United States and Denmark will renegotiate their 1951 defense pact concerning Greenland, potentially allowing for enhanced American military presence while preserving Danish sovereignty. The agreement may grant Washington rights to mineral resources and involvement in maintaining the Golden Dome missile defense system.
The European Parliament responded to the developments by suspending work on two legislative proposals related to EU-US trade relations, citing concerns over American “threats to territorial integrity and sovereignty.” Meanwhile, the Greenlandic government has issued emergency preparedness guidelines advising households to maintain five-day supplies of essential provisions, reflecting underlying tensions despite the diplomatic progress.