CIVICUS discusses the US government’s renewed calls to annex Greenland with Rachael Lorna Johnstone, Professor of Law at the University of Akureyri, Iceland.
Donald Trump has revived and escalated US claims over Greenland, arguing the Arctic territory is strategically vital for American security and global power. What began as talk of purchasing the island has evolved into active diplomatic pressure and public suggestions that all options – including the use of force – are on the table. Denmark and Greenland’s leaders have pushed back firmly, insisting Greenland is not for sale and its people alone have the right to decide its future. European allies have lined up behind them, warning that any US coercion would undermine international law and threaten NATO’s unity.
