US to open two new military bases in Greenland: Sources

The United States intends to reopen a former Cold War-era military base in southern Greenland and establish a military presence at a site currently utilized by the Danish dog sled patrol, as part of an agreement set to be signed by the US, Denmark, and Greenland on Tuesday at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The two sites in question are Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig. Narsarsuaq, with a population reduced to just a few dozen residents since the US closed Bluie West One base in the 1950s, and Mestersvig, a current outpost of the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, a Danish special forces unit.

While the contents of the agreement have not been disclosed, sources indicate it aims to place Arctic security under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's jurisdiction, rather than leaving it to the US and Denmark alone. The agreement comes following months of US President Donald Trump's pressure for the US to assume control over Greenland, an attempt that escalated into diplomatic tensions within NATO, forcing Denmark and Greenland into negotiations with Washington.

During the Cold War, the US maintained 17 military installations and over 10,000 personnel in Greenland. Currently, only the Pituffik Space Base remains, housing approximately 150 US military personnel. The governments of Denmark and Greenland have not yet commented on the matter, nor has the White House.