The dream of controlling Greenland
Greenland, with its area of 2.16 million km² and vast mineral reserves, has long been a target of major powers. The island not only possesses valuable resources such as rare earth elements, uranium, oil, and natural gas, but also holds a strategically important position in Arctic geopolitics .
Greenland is a very special island. Geographically, it belongs to North America, but geologically, it belongs to the Arctic Circle. What's special is that it lies on the shortest route from North America to Europe.
Greenland has been known as an autonomous territory of Denmark since 1814, with a current population of approximately 60,000 people. Much of its area is covered in snow, but the ice and snow are melting due to global warming, and the habitable land area will increase accordingly.
It is considered a "strategic gem." The US ambition to control Greenland, particularly under the administration of President Donald Trump, has become a subject of global controversy.
Recently, Denmark and the people of Greenland have reacted quite strongly to Trump's statements, even though they had previously expressed a desire for more business and cooperation with the US. This is also seen as an opportunity for China and Russia to access and increase their influence in the Arctic region.
Previously, the people of Greenland did not completely reject the possibility of expanding cooperation with the United States. Many Greenlandic politicians saw opportunities in cooperating with Washington to develop infrastructure, exploit resources, and improve the lives of the people.
However, it appears that the Trump administration's approach has changed the situation.
Polls show that a majority of Greenlanders oppose joining the United States.
The people of Greenland worry that annexation by the United States will lead to the loss of their cultural identity and the autonomy they gained from Denmark after decades of struggle.
Denmark, which still retains control over Greenland's foreign policy, also weighed in. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called Trump's idea "absurd" and asserted that Greenland is not a commodity to be bought and sold.
Denmark strongly opposes the planned visit of a high-level US delegation to Greenland this week, which includes Vice President JD Vance and his wife, White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
Denmark considers this "inappropriate." Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen accused the US of exerting "unacceptable pressure" on Greenland.
The trip's plans come as US President Donald Trump continues to push for the idea of annexing Greenland. Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire for Greenland to become part of US territory and has not ruled out the possibility of using economic or military force to control the world's largest island.
What opportunities are there left for the US?
On social media platform X, on March 25th, Mr. Vance announced that he would be arriving in Greenland on March 28th. His wife was scheduled to attend a dog sled race that same day, but the event was cancelled. Instead, she will visit the Pituffik space base.
Brian Hughes, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said the purpose of the US delegation was "to learn about Greenland, its culture, history and people." Meanwhile, Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen rejected the notion that this was a personal visit.
The latest information indicates that the US has changed its plans for a visit to Greenland, canceling a visit to Greenlandic communities and instead focusing solely on the Pituffik base. This is something Denmark has not objected to.
The US decision to adjust its stance is expected to help de-escalate tensions between the two countries regarding Greenland, given that Washington continues to maintain a significant military presence on the island.
In the past, the United States has shown particular interest in Greenland. In 1946, President Harry Truman offered to buy the island from Denmark for $100 million, but the offer was rejected. Upon taking office, President Donald Trump revived this ambition, proposing to purchase Greenland in 2019.
He described it as a "vast estate" with enormous potential, asserting that U.S. control of Greenland would help secure national economic and security interests.
The difficulties in Trump's Greenland strategy are seen as opportunities for other rivals. China has long had its eye on Greenland with the intention of exploiting rare earth resources and building infrastructure there. Beijing has been actively investing in mining and port projects.
In addition, Russia is expanding its influence in the Arctic. Moscow is not only increasing its presence in the region but also developing large-scale energy projects, creating a counterweight to the United States.
Despite facing numerous obstacles and widespread opposition from Denmark to the Greenlanders themselves, the US is believed to still have opportunities to increase its influence there through more flexible measures. Some assessments suggest that, instead of continuing to pursue a strategy of "buying" the island, Washington could seek to increase investment in Greenland, support economic development, and cooperate on security matters.
Some American politicians have proposed promoting cooperative projects in mining, environmental research, and infrastructure development in Greenland.
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/ong-donald-trump-co-the-de-vuot-mat-kho-bau-bac-cuc-2384811.html
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