As the Earth warms the Arctic Ocean is experiencing longer periods of ice free waters. Influence over this newly opening water, with it’s potential for trade, resources and aggression has been a burgeoning geopolitical struggle. This has been playing out for over a decade. The major players, claiming territory in the Arctic are the United States, Canada, Russia, Norway and Denmark.
Russia has demonstrated aggression toward Norway and Finland with cyber attacks, sabotage of critical infrastructure, instrumentalized migration, property purchases in strategic locations, and intimidating military exercises. This, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, encouraged Finland to apply for and receive NATO membership.
Russian President for Life Vladimir Putin is very interested in controlling the Arctic oceans, as are those who intend to rule Russia in the future decades. This is why Russia has been trying to exert dominance over the area.
The United States has, since World War II, operated freely in the Danish territory of Greenland. The Pituffik Space Base, formerly Thule Air Base, provides observation of space and Norad the ability to monitor threats from over the Arctic Ocean, where Russia lies. There is a Ballistic Missile early warning system and the ability to resupply other Arctic stations. There is no reason for the US to demand control of Greenland to continue operating the base there.
US President for Life hopeful Donald Trump, always the Putin fan, has been using his position to cajole and even threaten Canada and Denmark to cede their territories to him. His tone toward Canada; “the 51st State” and declaration of intent to take over Greenland are reverse psychology.
Trump is trying to push these allied nations away from their friendly relationship with the United States and into the loving arms of his best buddy Vlad of Russia.
- Geopolitics of the Arctic Wikipedia
- Death by a Thousand Paper Cuts: Lessons from the Nordic-Baltic Region on Countering Russian Gray Zone Aggression Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Changing Geopolitics in the Arctic Council on Foreign Relations
- Pituffik Space Base Wikipedia
- Naval Bases for the 4th Reich 4dforum