Keep out: why Greenland is the US military’s new eyes in the Arctic on China

The United States, Denmark and Greenland have signed a defense deal that will allow Washington to build two new military bases on Greenland, the world's largest island. This move is seen by analysts as a way to prevent potential military cooperation between China and Russia in the Arctic. The agreement updates and amends a 1951 defense pact between Denmark and the US, and allows for expansion and modernization of existing US military installations.

One of the new bases will be built in Narsarsuaq, a settlement with a former civilian airport and US airbase that was closed in 1958, while another will be constructed in Mestersvig, which currently hosts the Danish special forces unit Sirius Dog Sled Patrol. The agreement also calls for stronger NATO engagement in the Arctic, with non-NATO countries barred from establishing their own military installations in Greenland or having a military presence there.

The strategic importance of the Arctic is increasing due to melting sea ice and the emergence of a northern sea route, which could become the shortest shipping lane connecting the Asia-Pacific and Europe. Greenland's location in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent to the northern Atlantic, makes it a crucial defense against missile attacks and submarine operations.

Marc Lanteigne, a professor at the Arctic University of Norway, noted that the new agreement emphasizes Washington's commitment to deterring outside threats in the Arctic and underscores its seriousness in this regard. The two new bases will also likely serve a political role in deterring potential incursions by China and Russia.