Washington [US], November 4 (ANI): The United States has welcomed Greenland's approval of a trilateral security agreement with Washington and Denmark, describing the development as a "massive win" for NATO and a major victory for American national security, as the pact seeks to strengthen defence cooperation and expand the US military presence in the strategically important Arctic region.

US State Department Spokesperson Tommy Pigott, in a post on X, said the agreement was a significant achievement for all three parties and the NATO alliance.

"The Greenland deal is a massive win for the United States, a massive win for Greenland, and a massive win for NATO. And it's a deal that only President Trump and @SecRubio could have delivered," Pigott said.

The US Department of State, in a separate post, also welcomed the approval, saying it would help secure Washington's strategic interests in the Arctic and strengthen American defence.

"Greenland's ratification of President Trump's historic agreement marks another major victory for American national security. This Administration is securing America's strategic interests in the Arctic, strengthening our national defense and ensuring this critical region remains free of adversarial threats," the department said.

The remarks came after lawmakers in Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, approved the agreement on Tuesday. The vote was 16-0, with seven lawmakers abstaining, Al Jazeera reported.

The agreement was signed on September 22 by US President Donald Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. It followed months of negotiations amid diplomatic tensions over Trump's repeated statements about bringing Greenland under US control.

The pact aims to strengthen security cooperation in the Arctic and North Atlantic while expanding Washington's military role on the island. Under its provisions, the United States will be allowed to modernise and expand its activities at the Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland and establish additional defence areas at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig. The agreement also supports stronger NATO engagement in Arctic security, including through planning, military presence, exercises and intelligence-sharing.

Greenlandic Foreign Minister Mute Egede described the ratification as an important step for the island, while acknowledging the difficult path leading to the agreement.

"The road to this point has been a difficult one for us as a people. But we have stood firm on our fundamental principles, chosen dialogue and taken responsibility for our country's interests," Egede said in a Facebook post.

"This is about all of us. The Greenland we love. About our security. And about our right to shape our own future," he added.

The agreement reaffirms the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and recognises the Greenlandic people's right to self-determination. It also provides for the arrangement to remain applicable if Greenland eventually becomes independent, subject to the relevant obligations being assumed.

The deal will enter into force after the necessary parliamentary procedures in both Greenland and Denmark are completed. Danish lawmakers are scheduled to debate the agreement later this month, with a vote expected on November 19. No approval from the US Senate is required. (ANI)