The ministers of the Nordic countries are to meet in Denmark to discuss a major reform of the regional cooperation framework, aimed at granting equal status to Greenland and other autonomous territories. This initiative comes amid a tense diplomatic climate, following statements by the US president. Donald Trump expressing his interest in increased control over the Arctic island.
The discussions will focus on modernizing the 1962 Helsinki Treaty, the legal basis for cooperation between Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and Norway. The aim is to fully integrate Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and the Åland Islands into the Nordic institutions, particularly on security and foreign policy issues.
For several decades, these autonomous territories have been demanding closer participation in strategic decisions. Greenland, in particular, withdrew from certain cooperation formats in 2024, believing it was marginalized on sensitive issues such as the war in Ukraine and security in the Arctic.
Copenhagen and its European partners have rejected any idea of ceding Greenland to the United States. However, diplomatic exchanges have been initiated between Denmark, Nuuk, and Washington to ease tensions. Strengthening the Nordic framework appears to be a political response aimed at consolidating the island's regional integration.
For the Danish Minister for Nordic Cooperation, a revision of the treaty would constitute a "historic" step to guarantee the future of cooperation in a strategic region where climate, energy and geopolitical issues are taking on increasing importance.
