Greenland legislature unblocks U.S. military expansion in Arctic

Greenlandic lawmakers voted 16-0 on Tuesday to approve a trilateral security agreement with the United States and Denmark. Seven members abstained from the vote. The deal allows for an increased U.S. military presence on the island while maintaining its status as a self-governing territory of Denmark.

President Donald Trump has sought greater control over the semiautonomous territory for months. His administration has repeatedly called for the vast Arctic island to join the United States. The new agreement eases that tension by bolstering the American military footprint without transferring political control.

Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen signed the document in September. The signing took place on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. The agreement specifies that it will remain in effect even if Greenland eventually chooses independence.

The deal is a response to strategic pressures in the Arctic and North Atlantic regions. It paves the way for the construction and operation of additional U.S. bases on the island. The legislation passed the local legislature after a period of negotiation between the three parties.

Danish lawmakers are scheduled to debate the agreement later this month. The accord will officially enter into force once the parliamentary processes of the Kingdom of Denmark are completed. This final step requires coordination between the Danish parliament and Greenlandic authorities.

Reporters Dazio and Manenkov contributed to the story from Berlin and Tallinn, Estonia, respectively. The vote in Ilulissat marks the first major legislative step in implementing the September pact.