After the US attack in Venezuela: will Greenland be next?
Following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, US President Trump has once again asserted his claim to Greenland. The island is "surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships" and is important for US security, he told The Atlantic magazine. Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that if the US were to launch a military attack on Greenland, it would mean the end of Nato.
The ultimate test for Europe
Now we will see whether Europe is prepared to defend its sovereignty, Le Figaro concludes:
“If Colombia or Iran resist Donald Trump, he could view Greenland as easy prey: its 56,000 unfortunate inhabitants are isolated in an ice desert that is four times the size of France. Denmark’s sovereignty? A compliant ally armed with American weapons that it cannot use without Washington’s consent. So it is Europe that now faces a challenge. So far, Macron, Starmer and Merz seem to be looking the other way, but the moment of truth is approaching: following unilateral tariffs and Nato’s subjugation, Europe now faces the ultimate test ”
EU must learn to deter Trump too
Die Zeit points to Article 42(7) of the EU Treaty:
“It states: ‘If a Member State is the victim of armed aggression on its territory, the other Member States shall have towards it an obligation of aid and assistance by all the means in their power.’ To breathe life into this article, the defence ministers of the largest member states of the Union could travel to Copenhagen in the coming days and discuss in as much detail as possible what Denmark would need in terms of assistance in the event of an attack – and then make this available. ... We have entered the age of neo-imperialism. Until now, the EU’s primary task has been to deter the Russian imperialist Vladimir Putin. Now it must learn as quickly as possible to deter the imperialist Donald Trump as well.”
Copycats will feel emboldened
On Facebook, political scientist Sergei Medvedev fears further territorial encroachments – not only from the US:
“A year ago, we laughed about the ‘Gulf of America’ and the demand to cede Greenland and the Panama Canal. But it’s no longer funny. I wouldn’t be surprised to read one morning about an American landing in Greenland (Denmark has already lodged an official objection to the frequent remarks by Trump’s advisors), the creation of a ‘security zone’ on Mexican territory, or American battleships in the Panama Canal. But the main consequences will not be felt in America but around the world, where similar operations will be copied and expanded. Welcome to a new year of world war.”
Seek allies in the US
Berlingske calls on the Danish government to take action:
“Denmark can work to build stronger ties with the US Congress, which admittedly seems to be completely ineffectual under the Trump administration II. However, a coalition of Republicans and Democrats could well form a majority that would make it difficult for Trump to take action against Greenland and Denmark. Finally, Greenlandic politicians should be fully aware of the reality: this is not the time for further discussions about independence. Any move in this direction will increase the risk of Trump exploiting it to divide Denmark and Greenland.”
A much-coveted Arctic sea route
Greenland’s location between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic has put it at the centre of a global power game, La Repubblica explains:
“What makes it so attractive is its location in an area where global warming is opening up new shipping routes. The legendary ‘Northwest Passage’ could accelerate global trade and create a shortcut between Asia and Europe – this is something China has long coveted, in fact so much so that in 2018 it even launched a ‘Polar Silk Road’. ... Beijing has already announced plans to extend trans-Arctic traffic to Russia as a corridor for importing liquefied natural gas. This idea worries the Americans (and even NATO). Moscow maintains nuclear weapons bases and submarines in the Arctic. This enhances Greenland’s potential role as a strategic controller of this corridor.”
Sweden must start mining rare earths
Expressen points to a specific step with which Sweden could help Denmark:
“Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that the US needs to gain control of the island for security reasons. The fact that the glaciers conceal the world’s largest deposits of rare earths is likely to weigh just as heavily in his calculations. Currently, 95 percent of rare earths are produced in China, which responded to Trump’s tariffs with an export ban. ... If the government wants to ease the pressure on Copenhagen and Nuuk, there is one concrete measure it can take: it should give [the state-owned mining company] LKAB the green light to start mining the Per Geijer deposit in Kiruna and ensure Washington gets the message. Kiruna is home to one of the largest known deposits of rare earth elements in Europe.”
