BBC: US negotiating with Denmark for expanding military presence in Greenland

So reports the BBC referring to several officials familiar with discussions, with talks between the two sides that have progressed in recent months.

US officials are seeking to open three new bases south of the territory, a semi-autonomous section of Denmark, while working to resolve a diplomatic crisis caused by President Donald Trump when he threatened to invade Greenland by force.

Trump said in January that the US must “replace” Greenland to prevent Russia or China from taking it. He said this could happen “in the easy way” or “in the difficult way”.

The White House confirmed that the administration was engaged in high-level talks with Greenland and Denmark, but declined to comment on the negotiations' details.

A White House official told the BBC that the administration was very optimistic that the talks were moving in the right direction.

Denmark has earlier expressed readiness to discuss US military additional bases on the island, and its foreign ministry confirmed that talks were under way with the US. There is an ongoing diplomatic path with the United States. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not enter further details at this time”, a spokesman said.

American officials have proposed an agreement on which three new military bases will be officially defined as US sovereign territory, according to a source of knowledge for negotiations.

The bases will be in southern Greenland and will focus mainly on monitoring possible Russian and Chinese sea activity in a northern Atlantic area between Greenland, Iceland and the United Kingdom known as Hendek G IUK, officials said they talked about the BBC.