Threats of a U.S. takeover under President Donald Trump are driving Greenland toward sovereignty and the prospect of equal footing with other Nordic countries. The Arctic territory, along with the Faroe Islands and the Swedish-speaking Åland region of Finland, is taking steps toward independence by seeking a seat at the table at the annual Nordic Council, the region's largest political forum.
Steps Toward Autonomy
This move would allow representatives of these territories to enter discussions on their own accord, outside of a bloc with Denmark. The changes were first proposed in 2025, but practicalities are being worked out since talks in mid-April, officials told the U.K.'s Times. Arctic sovereignty is top of the agenda for this year's summit. A plan to include the three territories as members has passed first reading in a preliminary spring session earlier this year, and the promise of membership is seen by hopefuls as a step toward full independence.
Diplomatic Push Amid Geostrategic Tensions
While the move is considered relatively modest and would not result in the immediate independence that leaders have long sought, discussions in Copenhagen have begun in tandem that would grant increased autonomy to the Danish territories. The diplomatic push comes at a time when the Arctic has become a geostrategic frontier, where a power struggle among the U.S., China, and Russia is expected to intensify. Under President Trump, the threat of bringing Greenland under U.S. control has been made explicit, changing the tenor of discussions with Denmark.
Under a much-discussed proposal, Greenland and the Faroe Islands would become autonomous while ceding preferential rights over military matters, according to The Times. A separate option seeks to allow the territories to operate freely, similar to the arrangement the Cook Islands enjoys with New Zealand. The changes are meant to foster unity in discussions with the EU, NATO, and the U.S., but officials speaking to The Times also questioned whether the reforms, while necessary, are commensurate with the scale of disruption facing the High North.
Nordic Council Reforms
The focus of this year's annual meeting, taking place later in 2026, will be to increase competitiveness in the Nordic region, establish Greenland's role in the council, and enhance security and the role of the Nordic Region in the world, according to the body's website. Another major order of business will be amending the Nordic constitution, which currently admits only Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden as full members. In addition to granting seats to Greenland and the Faroe Islands, a permanent council seat would also be granted to Åland, a largely autonomous region of Finland where a large majority of its 30,000 residents speak Swedish.
Trump's actions toward Greenland have included threats to take ownership of the territory while negotiating with Denmark, a NATO ally, to increase military presence, including reopening two abandoned U.S. bases. In a January interview with The New York Times, when asked about the dilemma of preserving NATO or obtaining Greenland, he replied: "It may be a choice."
