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World leaders sign up to US deal on Greenland

Figure caption,

US President Donald Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen signed the deal at the UN General Assembly in New York, US

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This week world leaders are meeting in New York at the United Nations General Assembly.

It's a yearly event where countries gather to talk about big issues around the world and how they can work together to solve them.

And at this meeting, the US and Denmark have signed a new deal with Greenland, a country that's been at the centre of a lot of arguments over recent months.

But what have those arguments been about, and how have they now been resolved? Read on to find out.

Why were people arguing about Greenland?

Figure caption,

Jenny explained in January why everyone was rowing over Greenland

In a nutshell, the argument is over who gets to be in charge of security in Greenland.

It's the world's biggest island and is situated in the Arctic, near to the North Pole. It belongs the Kingdom of Denmark, but runs many of it's own affairs.

But at the start of this year President Donald Trump said he wanted to make Greenland part of America.

It caused lots of protests in Denmark, and Greenland's capital city Nuuk.

people in a group holding the Greenland flag as well as signs that read 'Greenland is not for sale'Image source, Reuters
Image caption,

There have been lots of protests in Greenland's capital city Nuuk

President Trump had called for America to own Greenland before, claiming the US needed it for its national security, and to protect it from threats from countries like China and Russia.

The president offered to buy it, and at one point people were getting worried when he wouldn't rule out taking it using military force.

However after rounds of talks with different world leaders, he later clarified that he wouldn't invade or seize Greenland with US armed forces.

Figure caption,

Donald Trump 'won't invade Greenland' (Jan 2026)

President Trump said he had come to this decision after talks with world leaders about how to make Greenland more secure.

Fast forward to now, and those talks have taken shape in the form of a new deal for the country.

What is the new deal for Greenland?

a map showing where the US, Canada, Greenland and Denmark all are in relation to each other
Image caption,

Greenland is in the Arctic circle, far to the north of both the US and Denmark

The deal changes and updates a 1951 defence agreement between Denmark and the US.

Before the signing ceremony, US President Donald Trump said "we will immediately begin the process of developing a large military presence in the appropriate locations".

The new defence deal allows the US to build two new military bases in Greenland.

It says the US "shall be allowed to establish an additional Defence Area at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig" - which are locations in Greenland's south and east.

colourful houses on the coast in the city of Nuuk in GreenlandImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Greenland is the biggest island in the world, and has been at the centre of a diplomatic dispute for months

But it also states that the technical details must be agreed by all parties, which means Denmark and Greenland's approval is still needed.

Another addition to the agreement between Denmark, Greenland and the US is the banning of non-Nato countries from the island.

It says that "no state that is not a member of Nato shall be allowed to establish its own manned or unmanned military installations in Greenland nor shall they be allowed a persistent presence of military forces in Greenland".

No territory has been given to the US, instead the agreement recognises Denmark's "sovereignty and territorial integrity" and Greenland's right to self-determination.

What have world leaders said?

A man with glasses a dark blue suit and a lighter blue tie standing at a lectern at the UN.Image source, Reuters
Image caption,

Andy Burnham was at the United Nations General Assembly

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the deal was "good for the US, Denmark and Greenland" and also for Europe and Nato.

Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said that "for Greenland, it is not only an agreement about us, it is [an] agreement with us.

"It takes into account the people of Greenland, our rights, our livelihoods and the development of our country.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the deal between Denmark and the US would "strengthen security in the Arctic".

French President Emmanuel Macron said "Danish sovereignty is respected... international law is respected, and that this is what we were asking for. So it's a good thing."

A Nato spokesperson said the military alliance (of which the UK, the US, France and Denmark are all members) welcomed the agreement, which would "help advance security, stability and cooperation in this vital region".