United States President Donald Trump has iterated his ambitions to amass Greenland forward of a go to to the semi-autonomous Danish territory by his vice chairman, JD Vance.
“We want Greenland for worldwide security and safety. We want it. We have now to have it,” Trump mentioned in an interview on Wednesday.
He additionally instructed reporters on the White Home: “We want Greenland. And the world wants us to have Greenland, together with Denmark,” including that the US will go “so far as we have now to go.”
His feedback prompted anger in Greenland the place there have lengthy been requires full independence from Denmark. Now, 85 % of the Arctic territory’s inhabitants has additionally expressed opposition to coming beneath Washington’s rule.
Trump’s ambitions have been famous elsewhere as properly.
On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to Trump’s feedback, saying his want for Greenland is unsurprising and rooted in historical past.
Putin defined that the US has lengthy coveted the mineral-rich Arctic area, amid a world scramble for the assets.
Right here is extra concerning the Arctic scramble, and why Greenland is important:
Is Russia nervous concerning the US taking management of Greenland?
Throughout an deal with on the Worldwide Arctic Discussion board within the Russian metropolis of Murmansk, the biggest metropolis throughout the Arctic circle, Putin mentioned he believes Trump is severe about taking Greenland and the US will proceed with efforts to amass it.
“It may well look stunning solely at first look and it could be mistaken to consider that that is some type of extravagant discuss by the present US administration,” mentioned Putin, including that it’s apparent the US will proceed to “systematically advance its geostrategic, military-political and financial pursuits within the Arctic”.
Putin additionally expressed issues about Russia’s neighbours, Finland and Sweden, becoming a member of NATO, the transatlantic navy alliance between North America and Europe. Finland joined NATO in 2023 and Sweden joined in 2024.
“Russia has by no means threatened anybody within the Arctic, however we’ll carefully comply with the developments and mount an applicable response by rising our navy functionality and modernising navy infrastructure,” Putin mentioned.
He added that Russia is “open” to cooperating with international companions within the Arctic.
“The stronger our positions will likely be, the extra important the outcomes will likely be and the broader alternatives we must launch worldwide initiatives within the Arctic involving the nations which might be pleasant to us, and, probably, Western nations in the event that they present curiosity in joint work.”
Why is the US vice chairman visiting Greenland?
US Vice President JD Vance and his spouse, Usha Vance, are set to the touch down in Greenland on Friday.
They are going to be accompanied by White Home Nationwide Safety Advisor Mike Waltz and US Secretary of Power Chris Wright to the US’s Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland “to obtain a briefing on Arctic safety points and meet with US service members”, in line with an announcement launched by Vance’s workplace.
Greenland’s performing head of presidency, Mute Egede wrote in a web-based submit on Monday that Greenland had not in reality prolonged any invitation for an official or personal go to.
“The current authorities is a caretaker authorities awaiting the formation of a brand new authorities coalition and we have now kindly requested all nations to respect this course of,” the submit learn.
Following this, the Vances modified the itinerary of their journey. Whereas Usha Vance was initially supposed to go to the Avannaata Qimussersu dogsled race in Sisimiut, the couple will now go to the US base solely.
This modification of plan was welcomed by Danish International Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen who instructed Danish public radio DR: “I really assume it’s very constructive that the Individuals are cancelling their go to to Greenlandic society. As an alternative, they may go to their very own base, Pituffik, and we have now nothing towards that.”
Nevertheless, Trump’s feedback upfront of his vice chairman’s journey have been met with apprehension in each Denmark and Greenland.
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen instructed Danish broadcasters on Tuesday: “I’ve to say that it’s unacceptable stress being positioned on Greenland and Denmark on this scenario. And it’s stress that we are going to resist.
“President Trump is severe. He wants Greenland. Due to this fact, [this visit] can’t be seen independently of anything.”
Why is Greenland so vital to the US?
Since Trump’s inauguration on January 20, he has repeatedly said that he needs to amass Greenland, saying that it’s crucial for US nationwide safety.
Greenland is a semi-autonomous Danish territory located between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean. The island is a former Danish colony.
Geographically, it’s a part of North America; its capital Nuuk is nearer to New York (some 2,900km or 1,800 miles) than to the Danish capital, Copenhagen, which is positioned 3,500km (2,174 miles) to the east.
Its location, providing the shortest route from North America to Europe, is seen as strategic for the US. It might give Washington leverage for its navy and its ballistic missile early-warning system.
The US can also be all for inserting radars within the waters that join Greenland, Iceland and the UK. These waters are a gateway for Russian and Chinese language ships, which the US needs to trace.
Greenland can also be wealthy in pure assets, together with uncommon earth minerals that are used for the manufacture of expertise. A 2023 survey confirmed that 25 of 34 minerals deemed “crucial uncooked supplies” by the European Fee might be present in Greenland.
Most of Greenland’s inhabitants of 56,000 residents comprise Indigenous Inuit people who oppose the mining of oil and gasoline, nevertheless.
Trump shouldn’t be the primary US chief to covet the island; the US has lengthy expressed curiosity in Greenland.
In 1867, US Secretary of State William H Seward tried to barter with Russia to purchase Greenland after the US purchased Alaska from Russia. Nevertheless, the try was not profitable. When Greenland was nonetheless a Danish colony, in 1946, US President Harry S Truman proposed shopping for the island, a proposal Denmark refused.
Is there a scramble for management of the Arctic?
Because the planet warms attributable to local weather change, the huge untapped assets of the Arctic have gotten extra accessible. Nations just like the US, Canada, China and Russia are actually eyeing these assets.
In December 2024, Canada released a policy document detailing plans to ramp up its navy and diplomatic presence within the Arctic. Russia can also be constructing military installations and energy crops within the area.
In the meantime, Russia and China have been working together to develop Arctic delivery routes as Moscow seeks to ship extra oil and gasoline to China amid Western sanctions whereas Beijing seeks an alternative shipping route to cut back its dependence on the Strait of Malacca.
The Northern Sea Route (NSR), a maritime route within the Arctic Ocean, is changing into simpler to navigate attributable to melting ice. The NSR can reduce delivery journeys considerably quick. Russia is hoping to ramp up commerce via the NSR to commerce extra with Asia than Europe attributable to Western sanctions. Final 12 months, the variety of oil shipments from Russia to China through the NSR rose by 1 / 4.
China can also be probing the area, and has despatched 10 scientific expeditions to the Arctic and constructed analysis vessels to survey the icy waters north of Russia.
