The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Gerald Farrington
Greenland is crucial in the realignment of the global power struggle that is taking place. And, Europe appears to be asleep — again. The EU will object, but the loss of Danish and Greenland sovereignty seems inevitable.
Putin invaded Ukraine without asking the Ukrainian people. Now, Trump wants to annex Greenland without asking Denmark or the inhabitants (about 90% Native Inuit). The old story — just seize indigenous land because you have the power.
Greenland has so few citizens and inhabitants (60,000 or so) that Trump might be able to bribe them in a plebiscite, but he can’t bribe Denmark.
Strategic global political, economic, and geographic juggling and realignment is occurring because of the “transactional” so-called “America First” antics of a megalomaniac with unrestrained power on the loose. If Europe continues to cloak itself in denial of the peril it faces, as it did collectively in the lead-up to two World Wars, it will suffer the same fate.
The EU countries face perils on both flanks. Russia on the eastern flank, and the United States on its western flank. But the peril is also a huge opportunity. If the EU can continue to assist Ukraine militarily (sufficiently at least to buy more time to strengthen itself), and then successfully to resist Trump’s increasing insistence on seizing Greenland one way or another, it can compete as a global power. What is shaping up is a total realignment of global power, and a subordinate Europe.
I won’t even comment on whether Greenland belongs to, and is partially governed by Denmark (for 300 years). The Vikings settled Greenland 1,000 years ago. Greenland is not only a part of Denmark (and, as such, is a member of the EU and NATO), it is of greater strategic importance to Europe than to the United States.
The EU is in the classic “divide and conquer” situation with respect to the Tri-polar positioning that is currently underway. Or, rather, for the EU, it is more a “stay divided and stay marginalized” situation for them. The U.S., China, and Russia are all asserting hegemony over what appears to be their hegemonic “spheres of influence”. Trump is claiming the entire Western Hemisphere, Xi Jinping will subordinate Asia (or most of it), and Putin thinks he can subordinate much of Europe, one fragmented piece at a time.
Greenland is in the Western Hemisphere. Iceland could be next, but Europe claims them both.
Collectively, the EU plus Britain has a market of 500 million people, a combined economy second only to the U.S., a highly educated population, and advanced technology, including nuclear weapons (Britain and France). Add Ukraine to the EU? What an incredible powerhouse to be reckoned with!
What’s missing? Themselves, collectively. A collective will.
The 27 collective EU countries, as a bloc (and Great Britain), should be thanking both Trump and Putin for waking them up from their dependency lethargy, from their endless turf and identity battles amongst themselves, and from their collective, but fragmented, denial of the strategic and geopolitical peril they find themselves in. Once again, geography awash in history is key to insight, and could be followed by a plan of action.
Let’s start with the map of the Arctic and the North Pole. Russia and Canada dominate access to the Arctic by virtue of the extent of their territory in and adjacent to the Arctic Circle. Notice that Norway and the U.S. (Alaska) have lesser access. Denmark (Greenland) and therefore the EU have access. Finland and Sweden have close proximity to the Arctic but have no direct navigable access to the Barents Sea and Arctic Ocean. Iceland touches the Arctic Circle.
The Arctic is opening up to shipping, travel, and resource development —including oil and mineral extraction. Since the EU faces a huge national security threat from Russia (and now the U.S), and is already a collective economic force to be reckoned with, it has more to gain and lose if Greenland falls to Trump.
Canada, Norway, and Switzerland should be a part of the EU bloc. Because Greenland is Canada’s neighbor, Canada shares a maritime border with Denmark and the EU. If Trump gets too cute with his territorial designs, first on Greenland and then on Canada, then Canada should realign itself with the EU separate from NATO.
In my view, NATO has been irreparably weakened by Trump’s blatant unreliability as a partner, so unless the U.S. is gone from NATO, and Europe and Canada can realign themselves without the U.S., a NATO-like security will be gone.
A Canadian realignment with the EU for strategic military and trade purposes would send a powerful warning across the MAGA-Republican bow that America is becoming further isolated in the world in every conceivable way —militarily, economically, and culturally. Trade, technology and intelligence sharing, tourism, and much much more will be severely impacted for generations to come.
For the U.S. to remain solidly connected to Europe, the Democrats should campaign against Republicans — the message, only Democrats can begin to repair the relationship. European security against Russian aggression begins with saving Ukraine, and the Democrats also should campaign on saving Ukraine in order to remain firmly tied to Europe.
Saving Greenland from Trump is saving Europe — again.
Saving Greenland for Europe also may be saving America from itself.
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