A MEETING in Denmark will consider granting Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Åland equal status within Nordic cooperation structures, amid renewed geopolitical tensions in the Arctic.
Nordic government ministers are set to convene in Denmark on Wednesday to discuss a significant overhaul of the 1962 Helsinki Treaty, the cornerstone of regional cooperation between Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
Reuters cited today that the proposed reform would grant full and equal participation rights to Greenland and the Faroe Islands, both self-governing territories within the Kingdom of Denmark, as well as Finland’s autonomous Åland Islands.
The move comes against a backdrop of heightened diplomatic sensitivity following renewed pressure from United States President Donald Trump over Greenland’s strategic position in the Arctic.
Copenhagen and its European partners have firmly rejected Washington’s insistence that Denmark cede Greenland to the United States.
Talks were launched last month between Copenhagen, Nuuk and Washington in an effort to ease tensions.
Wednesday’s discussions are expected to focus on modernising the Helsinki Treaty to reflect shifting geopolitical realities and longstanding demands from the autonomous territories for greater influence.
For decades, Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Åland have sought parity within the Nordic framework but were excluded from meetings dealing with security and defence matters, including discussions related to the war in Ukraine. In 2024, Greenland’s government boycotted the forum in protest at its limited role.
Denmark’s Minister for Nordic Cooperation, Morten Dahlin, described the potential reform as transformative.
“An update of the Helsinki Treaty will be a historic step and a future-proofing of Nordic co-operation,” he said in a statement.
Greenland’s Foreign Minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, confirmed that the island would play an active role in shaping the reform process.
“The process surrounding the Helsinki Treaty will be decisive in determining whether Greenland can be recognised as an equal partner in Nordic cooperation,” she said.
The debate unfolds amid ongoing discussion within Greenland about its long-term constitutional future.
Opinion polls suggest that a majority of the island’s 57,000 residents support eventual independence from Denmark, though many caution against moving too swiftly because of the territory’s economic dependence on Copenhagen and concerns about overexposure to the United States.
Earlier this month, Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, indicated that if compelled to choose between alignment with Washington or Copenhagen, Greenlanders would favour Denmark. - February 18, 2026
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