🔗 Share this article US Attack on Venezuela Stokes Concerns of Potential Danish Territory Annexation. The latest US-led strike in the South American nation and the detention of its leader have renewed unease regarding America's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the ex-president's base have allegedly focused on the strategically important island in the wake of the events in South America. Provocative Posts and Diplomatic Outrage Only a short time after the initiation of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent conservative commentator, who is the spouse of a high-ranking presidential adviser, shared a symbolic image. The picture depicted Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the single-word caption: "SOON." This overt suggestion to absorb the resource-abundant region, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked swift and strong criticism from Danish representatives. "Denmark and the US are close allies and should keep work together as such. US security is also the Arctic's and our security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the US collaborate to ensure security in the North." The ambassador additionally highlighted that Denmark had significantly increased its defence spending recently, allocating a substantial sum specifically for Arctic and North Atlantic security. "Furthermore, we expect complete recognition for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added. Administrative Moves and Geopolitical Goals The tensions were additionally exacerbated by the recent appointment of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the president, stating it was an "honour" to work in a unpaid role to "make Greenland a part of the US." After the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the administration's actions, connecting it to the broader "war on drugs." Ever since returning to office, the American leader has repeatedly unnerved European allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is considered vitally strategic for national security and potential resource extraction. It currently houses the most northerly US military base. Leaving the Door Open to Force In a significant television appearance, the leader declined to rule out the use of military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes during intensifying great-power rivalry in the Arctic. "I don't rule it out. I don't say I'm going to do it, but I don't rule out anything... We need Greenland very badly," he remarked. He described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security." Growing Friction and Indigenous Resistance In response to this constant "drumbeat" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk." The leaders of Denmark and Greenland issued a unified and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries." Public opinion in Greenland shows a complex picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's residents seek self-rule from Denmark, there is also scant appetite to become part of the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare sovereignty for many years. Expert View: A Credible Scenario? Some analysts are increasingly reconsidering the possibility of such a move. One policy analyst focusing in military analysis conceded she had once discounted the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure." "Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a couple thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.
The latest US-led strike in the South American nation and the detention of its leader have renewed unease regarding America's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the ex-president's base have allegedly focused on the strategically important island in the wake of the events in South America. Provocative Posts and Diplomatic Outrage Only a short time after the initiation of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent conservative commentator, who is the spouse of a high-ranking presidential adviser, shared a symbolic image. The picture depicted Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the single-word caption: "SOON." This overt suggestion to absorb the resource-abundant region, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked swift and strong criticism from Danish representatives. "Denmark and the US are close allies and should keep work together as such. US security is also the Arctic's and our security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the US collaborate to ensure security in the North." The ambassador additionally highlighted that Denmark had significantly increased its defence spending recently, allocating a substantial sum specifically for Arctic and North Atlantic security. "Furthermore, we expect complete recognition for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added. Administrative Moves and Geopolitical Goals The tensions were additionally exacerbated by the recent appointment of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the president, stating it was an "honour" to work in a unpaid role to "make Greenland a part of the US." After the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the administration's actions, connecting it to the broader "war on drugs." Ever since returning to office, the American leader has repeatedly unnerved European allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is considered vitally strategic for national security and potential resource extraction. It currently houses the most northerly US military base. Leaving the Door Open to Force In a significant television appearance, the leader declined to rule out the use of military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes during intensifying great-power rivalry in the Arctic. "I don't rule it out. I don't say I'm going to do it, but I don't rule out anything... We need Greenland very badly," he remarked. He described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security." Growing Friction and Indigenous Resistance In response to this constant "drumbeat" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk." The leaders of Denmark and Greenland issued a unified and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries." Public opinion in Greenland shows a complex picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's residents seek self-rule from Denmark, there is also scant appetite to become part of the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare sovereignty for many years. Expert View: A Credible Scenario? Some analysts are increasingly reconsidering the possibility of such a move. One policy analyst focusing in military analysis conceded she had once discounted the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure." "Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a couple thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.