Greenland and Arctic Great Power Rivalry

Arctic has become a critical arena of Sino-Russian cooperation, driven by shared interests in energy security, maritime access, and the gradual reconfiguration of global trade routes under changing climatic conditions. Trump's interest is driven not only by its strategic location but also by its rare earth minerals.

- B.R. DEEPAK

The possible Northern Sea Route compared to the existing Suez Canal route.

The Arctic has emerged as one of the defining arenas of geostrategic competition between the United States, Russia and China. Rapid climate change, creating accessible sea lanes and exposing vast resource potential, has brought renewed attention from the world's major powers.

Though President Trump has talked about "owning" Greenland during his first presidency, however, after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3, 2026, Trump ratcheted up the issue once again on January 9 by saying, “We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not, because if we don't do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland...” This stance, coupled with threats of tariffs on European NATO allies for their opposition, has fractured traditional alliances.

During his Special Address to the World Economic Forum at Davos on January 21, President Trump reiterated that “this enormous, unsecured island is actually part of North America, that's our territory.” He described Denmark as “ungrateful” and the United States as “stupid” for returning Greenland to Denmark after World War II, despite the continued US military presence on the island under the Agreement Relating to the Defence of Greenland, signed on April 27, 1951 and amended in 2004. The amended agreement affirms that Article II of the 1951 Defence Agreement applies to the establishment of new defence areas.

Denmark and Greenland have firmly rejected any notion of a sale, asserting Greenland's sovereignty and emphasizing the existing security arrangements within NATO. Greenland's growing centrality to great power rivalry stems from several interrelated factors, which are examined here.