Greenland parliament ratifies Trump security deal, 16 to none

Greenland's parliament ratified a security agreement with the United States on Tuesday, approving a deal that gives the US military room for two new bases and a role in President Donald Trump's "Golden Dome" missile defence system on the Arctic island.

The vote in Nuuk was 16 in favour, none against, with seven abstentions. A majority of lawmakers had already signalled support during a first debate last month.

The United States, Denmark and Greenland signed the agreement in September. It was meant to end tensions that followed Trump's repeated threats to take control of Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory that is strategically placed and rich in minerals. The White House said in January that Trump was discussing options for acquiring the island, including the possible use of the US military, which alarmed European governments and set off intense diplomatic efforts to calm the situation.

Alongside the two bases and the missile defence system, the text reaffirms Danish sovereignty and Greenlanders' right to self-determination.

Foreign Minister Mute Egede told lawmakers in Nuuk shortly before the vote that ratification was an important step for the island. "We must accept that peace and stability are no longer something we can take for granted," he said.

The opposition party Naleraq, the most prominent political voice for Greenlandic independence, questioned what the island gains from the agreement. "We are looking for a better agreement that we can benefit from when we become an independent state. But no economic benefit has been gained from the agreement," Naleraq chair Pele Broberg said during the debate.

The deal is an executive agreement, so it does not need approval from the US Senate. It enters into force once both Denmark and Greenland have ratified it. The Danish parliament gives the bill a first reading on November 11, with a second reading and a vote scheduled for November 19.