---
title: "Rubio: Greenland deal permanently closes the Arctic to Chinese and Russian bases"
description: "U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated in an interview with 77 WABC that the Greenland agreement signed on September 22 between the United States, Denmark, and the island permanently closes the Arctic to Chinese and Russian military bases and introduces dual control over foreign investment."
date: 2026-09-23T04:52:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/rubi-grenland-deal-permanently-closes-arctic-to-chinese-russian-bases
tags: [marco-rubio, greenland, arctic-security, us-denmark-deal, china, russia, missile-defense, investment-screening]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Rubio: Greenland deal permanently closes the Arctic to Chinese and Russian bases

![US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a State Department briefing commenting on the Greenland deal and closing the Arctic to Russian and Chinese bases](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/23/rubi-sdelka-po-grenlandii-zashita-arktiki-ot-kitaya-i-rossii/rubi-sdelka-po-grenlandii-zashita-arktiki-ot-kitaya-i-rossii-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The United States, Denmark, and Greenland signed a permanent agreement on Arctic military security on September 22, 2026
- The agreement allows the U.S. to deploy military bases on the island without limit and to develop missile defense
- A dual screening mechanism for foreign investment by the U.S. and Denmark was introduced to block Chinese and Russian presence
- Rubio called the deal "phenomenal" and linked it to Trump's course, which began as early as 2017–2021

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in an interview with radio station 77 WABC, explained the strategic significance of the agreement signed on September 22, 2026, between the United States, Denmark, and Greenland. In his words, the document is aimed at the long-term protection of the Arctic region from a possible military presence by China and Russia. Rubio emphasized that the island is a "vast stretch of land with a small population," which makes it extremely vulnerable from a security standpoint, and that is precisely why Washington cannot allow the placement of foreign military facilities on its territory.

### From Trump's first term to a "phenomenal deal"

During the conversation, the Secretary of State recalled that the idea of controlling Greenland had been circulating around the White House since Donald Trump's first presidential term (2017–2021). According to Rubio, the island is strategically important for the United States, and the current agreement is the logical culmination of a long-standing line of U.S. policy in the Arctic. "We absolutely cannot afford to wake up one day in a world where there are Chinese bases, Russian bases, or bases of anyone else there," said the head of the American foreign policy department, calling the final agreement an "excellent" and "phenomenal" deal.

### Permanent status and unlimited base deployment

The key element of the document, which Rubio pointed out, is its permanent nature: the agreement has no expiration date and grants the United States the right to deploy as many military bases on Greenland as it deems necessary. In addition, the text includes provisions on future options for strengthening military power and missile defense in the Arctic region. Thus, Washington secures for itself not a temporary, but a permanent military foothold on the world's largest island.

### Investment control as a tool of the "Arctic shield"

A separate section of the agreement is devoted to the procedure for screening foreign investment. According to Rubio's explanation, before any company can channel capital into Greenland's economy, it must undergo dual verification — by the United States and Denmark. The purpose of the mechanism is to ensure that the investor is not linked to China or any other country outside NATO that is regarded as a potential adversary. In essence, this creates an institutional barrier that makes the Arctic territory economically closed to Washington's competitors.

### Context: Rubio's parallel statements on Venezuela

It is worth noting that during the same period the Secretary of State made a number of other public statements, including on the oil deal with Venezuela, where he estimated the volume of attracted investment at on the order of 100 billion dollars. These comments, however, relate to an entirely different track of U.S. foreign policy and do not intersect with the Arctic theme. The Greenland agreement, by contrast, is positioned by Rubio as an element of a long-term security architecture, rather than a one-off trade or energy initiative.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Greenland deal aimed at protecting the Arctic from Russia and China, says Rubio](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ugoda-grenlandiyi-spryamovana-zahist-arktiki-1790138556.html) - Прямое подтверждение ключевого факта: Рубио в интервью 77 WABC заявил о цели сделки — защите Арктики от Китая и России. Совпадает с основным текстом по всем деталям (постоянный характер, размещение баз, инвестиционный контроль).
- [Rubio: oil deal with the U.S. will bring Venezuela nearly $100 billion in investment](https://news.mail.ru/politics/72158790/) - Источник касается иного заявления Рубио — по нефтяной сделке с Венесуэлой. Не подтверждает и не опровергает гренландийскую тему.
- [Rubio assessed the investment attracted to Venezuela under the oil deal with the U.S.](https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/8921370) - Также относится к венесуэльскому треку. Не содержит информации о Гренландии или Арктике.
- [Rubio named the volume of investment in Venezuela after the oil deal with the U.S.](https://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/6a921a8270ff3f1f333a04c8) - Третий источник по венесуэльской теме. Не пересекается с гренландийским соглашением.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: What exactly does the Greenland deal announced by Rubio provide for?
**A:** The agreement between the United States, Denmark, and Greenland, signed on September 22, 2026, is permanent (indefinite) and allows the U.S. to deploy military bases on the island in unlimited numbers, as well as to develop missile defense in the region. In addition, a dual screening mechanism for foreign investment by Washington and Copenhagen has been introduced.

### Q: Why does the U.S. consider Greenland strategically important?
**A:** According to Rubio, the island is a vast territory with a small population, which makes it vulnerable to the placement of foreign military facilities. Washington fears the emergence of Chinese, Russian, or other non-NATO state bases on Greenland, which would undermine U.S. security in the Arctic.

### Q: How does the investment control under the new agreement work?
**A:** Before any company can invest in Greenland, it must undergo screening simultaneously by the United States and Denmark. The goal is to ensure that the investor is not linked to China or any other country outside NATO that is regarded as a potential adversary.

### Q: When did Trump first speak about Greenland?
**A:** Rubio noted that President Trump began raising the issue of Greenland as early as during his first presidential term (2017–2021), pointing to its significance for the security of the United States.