The US has been holding regular negotiations with Denmark to expand its military presence in Greenland, according to multiple officials familiar with the discussions, as talks between the two sides have progressed in recent months.
US officials are looking to open three new bases in the south of the territory, a semi-autonomous part of Denmark, as they work to resolve a diplomatic crisis sparked by President Donald Trump when he threatened to invade Greenland by force.
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Letter to the Reader — Why We're Asking for Your Support ContributeTrump said in January that the US should own Greenland to prevent Russia or China from taking it.
According to him, this can happen "the easy way" or "the hard way."
The White House has confirmed that the administration was engaged in high-level talks with Greenland and Denmark, but has declined to comment on the details of the negotiations.
A White House official told the BBC that the administration was very optimistic that the talks were going in the right direction.
Denmark has previously expressed a willingness to discuss additional US military bases on the island, and its Foreign Ministry has confirmed that talks with the US are underway.
"There is an ongoing diplomatic track with the United States. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not go into further details at this time," a spokesperson said.
US officials have proposed a deal under which the three new military bases would be formally designated as sovereign US territory, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations.
The bases will be in southern Greenland and will focus primarily on monitoring potential Russian and Chinese naval activity in an area of the North Atlantic between Greenland, Iceland and the United Kingdom known as the GIUK Gap, officials who spoke to the BBC have said.