Thursday, 22 January 2026
Is the Greenland deal really settled?
Donald Trump has left Davos in Switzerland with the firm declared belief that diplomatic negotiations have now resolved the Greenland issue. He has compromised. He won't get the whole of Greenland for the US, but the American military on the huge ice-covered island in the Arctic will enjoy sovereignty on their bases, just like the British do on the two bases in Cyprus. It sounds like a brilliant arrangement. It has worked for Britain for over 65 years. The two bases in Cyprus are UK sovereign land - at Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The trouble is, Denmark which has total sovereignty over Greenland doesn't want to give it up, any of it, and that includes the US bases that are already on the island. So clearly there is still work to do. But I suspect the whole of Nato will be so desparate to appease Trump and prevent the alliance from collapsing around its ears that Denmark will come under sustained pressure to give in and allow Trump his little bits of sovereignty. Poor Denmark. But for the sake of the alliance's future existence, this compromise solution must surely be given the go ahead. There are soon going to be even bigger crises to resolve - eg Iran - so let's put the Greenland issue behind us, and that means Denmark smiling in semi-defeat.
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