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The U.S. plans to establish two new military bases in Greenland under an agreement expected to be signed Tuesday with Denmark and Greenland, Reuters reported, citing three people familiar with the matter.
The planned sites are Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland, where the U.S. operated the Cold War-era Bluie West One base until the 1950s, and Mestersvig on the east coast, now used by Denmark’s Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, a special forces unit.
Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. are expected to sign the agreement at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
The agreement has not yet been made public, and the sources said details could still change before it is signed.
Denmark has said the arrangement would place Arctic security under NATO oversight rather than leaving responsibility solely to the U.S. and Denmark.
The agreement follows months of pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly said Washington should control Greenland and has at times declined to rule out military or economic measures to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
Polling cited by Reuters shows an overwhelming majority of Greenlanders oppose the idea.
Trump’s statements, which peaked in January, triggered tensions within NATO and led Denmark and Greenland into negotiations with Washington.
During the Cold War, the U.S. operated 17 military installations in Greenland and stationed more than 10,000 personnel there.
Today, Pituffik Space Base is the only remaining U.S. military installation on the island, with about 150 U.S. military personnel.
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