Before his vice president, JD Vance, will visit the semi-autonomous Danish territory, US President Donald Trump reiterated his plans to purchase Greenland.
For international security and safety, we need Greenland. It is required. Trump stated in a Wednesday interview that “we must have it.”
He added, “We need Greenland, you know, at the White House.” And we need Greenland, including Denmark, according to the statement, adding that the US will “as far as we can go.”
Greenland, where calls for full independence from Denmark have long been voiced out, was angered by his comments. 85 percent of the population of the Arctic region has now voiced opposition to resuming its rule.
Other people have noted Trump’s ambitions.
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, responded to Trump’s tweets on Thursday, saying that his apprehension about Greenland is unsurprising and historical.
In the wake of the world’s desperate search for the resources, Putin explained that the US has long desired the mineral-rich Arctic region.
The Arctic scramble and why Greenland is significant are covered in more detail here.
Is Russia concerned about US control of Greenland?
Putin stated at the International Arctic Forum that he believes Trump is serious about acquiring Greenland and that US efforts will continue to do so in Murmansk, Russia’s largest city within the Arctic circle.
It may appear surprising at first glance, and it would be wrong to assume that the current US administration is making some sort of extravagant statements, Putin said, adding that it is obvious that the US will continue to pursue its “geostrategic, military-political, and economic interests in the Arctic.”
Putin also expressed concern about the transatlantic military alliance between North America and Europe, which includes Russia’s neighbors, Finland and Sweden. Sweden joined NATO in 2024, and Finland joined in 2023.
Russia has never threatened the Arctic, but “we will closely monitor the developments and formulate a plan to combat it by strengthening our military might and modernizing our military base,” Putin said.
Russia’s willingness to cooperate with foreign partners in the Arctic, he added, was “open.”
The more significant the outcomes will be and the more opportunities there are for us to launch international projects in the Arctic with Western nations and friendly nations if they show an interest in joint work.
The US Vice President is in Greenland for what reason?
On Friday, US Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance will make their first appearance in Greenland.
According to a statement from Vance’s office, they will travel to the US’s Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland with US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz to get a briefing on Arctic security issues and meet with US service members.
Mute Egede, the acting head of government in Greenland, stated in an online post on Monday that the country had not actually invited anyone to come in for an official or private visit.
The post read, “We have kindly requested all countries to respect this process, and the current government is a caretaker government awaiting the formation of a new government coalition.”
The Vances changed their travel plan after this. The couple will only travel to the US base while Usha Vance was originally scheduled to attend Sisimiut’s Avannaata Qimussersu dogsled race.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen expressed his approval of this change of course when he stated to Danish radio DR: “I actually think it’s very positive that the Americans are cancelling their visit to Greenlandic society. We are not opposed to them going to their own base in Pituffik, which they will visit.
However, both Denmark and Greenland have expressed concern about Trump’s comments made before his vice president’s trip.
Danish broadcasters were able to hear Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s statement on Tuesday: “I have to say that the pressure being put on Greenland and Denmark in this situation is unacceptable. And we will resist it because of it.
President Trump has a serious attitude. He desires Greenland. Therefore, [this visit] cannot be seen separately from anything else.
Why does the US value Greenland so highly?
Trump has stated at least once that he wants to acquire Greenland, saying that it is essential to US national security, since his inauguration on January 20.
Between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, Denmark has a semi-autonomous territory called Greenland. Former Danish colony occupies the island.
Its capital Nuuk is located 3, 500 kilometers (2, 174 miles) east of Copenhagen, which is located 3, 500 kilometers (2, 174 miles) away from New York (some 2, 900 kilometers or 1, 800 miles).
The US considers its strategic importance because of its location, which provides the shortest route between North America and Europe. Washington would gain access to both its military and ballistic missile early warning system.
The US is interested in installing radars in the waters that connect Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom. The US wants to track Russian and Chinese ships because these waters serve as their entry point.
Additionally, Greenland is a rich producer of rare earth minerals, which are used to create technology. According to a 2023 survey, Greenland contains 25 of the 34 minerals that the European Commission deemed to be “critical raw materials.”
Indigenous Inuit people who oppose the extraction of oil and gas make up the majority of Greenland’s population, 56, 000 people.
The US has long expressed interest in Greenland, but Trump is not the first US leader to do so.
After the US purchased Alaska from Russia, US Secretary of State William H. Seward attempted to negotiate with Russia to purchase Greenland in 1867. The attempt, however, failed. US President Harry S. Truman proposed buying the island in 1946, an offer that Denmark rejected when the island was still a Danish colony.
Is the Arctic in a compulsion to control it?
The Arctic’s vast untapped resources are becoming more accessible as the planet warms as a result of climate change. These resources are now being sought after by nations like the US, Canada, China, and Russia.
Canada made a policy statement outlining its plans to increase its military and diplomatic presence in the Arctic in December 2024. In the area, Russia is also building power plants and military installations.
In response to Western sanctions, Russia and China have been collaborating to develop Arctic shipping routes as Beijing searches for alternatives to its traditional shipping route and reduces its dependence on the Strait of Malacca.
Due to melting ice, the Northern Sea Route (NSR), a maritime route in the Arctic Ocean, is becoming more accessible. Shipping trips can be significantly shorter with the NSR. Due to sanctions from the West, Russia wants to increase trade with Asia and Europe through the NSR. The NSR saw a quarter-fold increase in oil shipments from Russia to China last year.
Source: Aljazeera
Leave a Reply