Trump climbs down on Greenland
September 22, 2026
Watch insights on the latest news about Europe from Carl Bildt, Co-Chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations and former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Sweden.
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Carl explains that the deal is built on respect for Denmark's territorial integrity and Greenlanders' right to self-determination, a sharp shift from Trump's earlier demands to take over the island. The agreement does affirm the US right to expand its military presence in Greenland, though that right already existed under a 1951 agreement.
Carl also addresses claims that the deal blocks Russia and China from building military bases in Greenland, noting that was never a realistic possibility. He credits quiet, persistent Danish diplomacy, along with more cautious voices inside the US administration, for defusing a dispute he calls unnecessary from the start.
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