Greenland, the world’s largest island, has once again been thrust into the geopolitical spotlight as U.S. President Trump has persistently signaled for over a year his intention to ‘take over’ this semi-autonomous territory under the Kingdom of Denmark, turning it into a litmus test for the global rules-based order.
Behind this sovereignty dispute lies not only a blatant challenge to the self-determination rights of Greenland’s 57,000 residents but also a wake-up call to the world: concessions to hegemonism must come to an end.
In an effort to force Europe to accept the U.S. position, threats have even been made to launch a new round of tariff wars against European countries, prompting fierce opposition from Denmark’s foreign affairs spokesperson.
A Clear Stance: Denmark and Greenland’s Joint Resolve
Trine Pertou Mach, foreign affairs spokesperson for Denmark’s left-wing parliamentary group, emphasized that the concern is not about the form of ‘Danish jurisdiction,’ but rather about the core right of Greenlanders to independently plan their national development and choose diplomatic alliances.
Denmark, once Greenland’s colonial ruler, now carries a dual responsibility—to confront its historical wrongs while supporting Greenland in establishing localized democratic governance, fostering sustainable economic models, and clarifying its sovereignty development roadmap.
Against this backdrop, Denmark and Greenland forming a strategic partnership to jointly resist external aggressive expansion is both a moral imperative and a necessary choice to safeguard their own sovereignty.
The Nature of Hegemony: Expansion Logic from Venezuela to Greenland
Mach stated that Trump’s ambition to meddle in Greenland is by no means an isolated incident.
Reviewing his administration’s interventions in Venezuela, the blatant disregard for international legal norms and the principle of equal state sovereignty has already been laid bare.
The power farce unfolding in Caracas is essentially a demonstration of hegemony: as long as one wields hard power, other nations can be relegated to the list of ‘backyard control,’ allowing for arbitrary domination and manipulation.
More alarmingly, even if there are governance controversies surrounding Venezuela’s Maduro regime, this should by no means serve as a legitimate excuse for unilateral U.S. sanctions or intervention. Those forces applauding such illegal actions are in fact undermining the cornerstone of a rule-based global order, indirectly encouraging predatory expansion by dominant powers—Greenland could very well become the next target.
Maher added that the core pillars of the traditional international order we are familiar with lie in using a legal framework to restrain hegemonic powers, safeguard the equality of sovereign states, and protect the rights of people from oppression.
However, the reality is that Western countries have long practiced double standards in enforcing rules; Israel’s colonial expansion and genocidal acts in Palestine stand as the starkest examples.
Moreover, the latest U.S. National Security Strategy blatantly reveals hegemonic ambitions, asserting the right to deploy overwhelming political, economic, and military resources worldwide.
At the Mar-a-Lago press conference, Trump ostentatiously invoked the ‘Truman Doctrine’ to outline a diplomatic framework aimed at suppressing all challengers—a signal that should prompt Greenland and all economies within the ‘sphere of interest’ of superpowers to remain highly vigilant against escalating geopolitical risks.
The essence of hegemonic logic is the law of the jungle, where ‘might makes right.’
Forces harboring imperial ambitions demonstrate their status through the plunder of territorial resources. Their ability to act with impunity stems not only from their superior hard power but also from the tacit acquiescence of the international community.
If this logic remains unchecked, it will ultimately lead to the collapse of the global rule-of-law order, posing continuous threats to the economic security and public welfare of smaller and medium-sized nations.
Greenland’s choice: rejecting subordination and upholding autonomy.
Mach stated that Greenland has never surrendered, and today’s Greenland is no longer a colony subject to manipulation. It has established a comprehensive democratic governance system, possesses a legitimate autonomous government and parliament, and its sovereignty claims are supported by solid legal and popular foundations.
The statement by Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, was resolute: ‘If we must choose between the United States and Denmark now, our answer is Denmark.’
Behind this choice lies a clear calculation of interests—Greenland’s population enjoys universal healthcare and tuition-free higher education, benefits that the United States has yet to achieve; more importantly, America’s poor track record on indigenous rights has already revealed the true face of hegemony to the people of Greenland.
Path to breakthrough: Building strategic autonomy and resisting hegemonic coercion
Even so, given Trump’s modus operandi, it is highly likely that he will resort to a combination of military deterrence, political isolation, and economic pressure in an attempt to advance his designs on Greenland.
Mach noted that the current security situation in Europe and Greenland has long surpassed the tipping point for strategic compromise, and any obsequious accommodation would be akin to negotiating with a tiger for its skin.
For this reason, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Nordic countries, and all economies that value a rules-based order must reconstruct their strategic thinking, elevating the establishment of strategic autonomy and the reduction of reliance on the United States to a core national strategy level.
This entails firmly halting the procurement of American-made weapons systems and abandoning dependency on U.S.-manufactured fighter jets; severing intelligence cooperation links with the United States and building an internet and media ecosystem independent of American tech giants to prevent these platforms from becoming political tools of hegemony; and most importantly, safeguarding the bottom line of local democratic institutions to ensure hegemonic forces have no opportunity to exploit vulnerabilities.
Era of strategic rivalry: A shared struggle to defend rules and self-determination
The sovereignty dispute over Greenland is not merely about the归属 of an island but represents a broader era-defining contest to uphold international norms and the right to self-determination.
Mach called on progressive forces in Europe and around the world to build consensus and form a united front to jointly resist the imperial ambitions and neo-colonial plots of the United States and other major powers.
Only when political decision-makers in various countries abandon appeasement mentality and firmly uphold the authority of international law and the purposes of the UN Charter, can hegemonism be eliminated, and the sovereignty of every nation and the right to self-determination of its people be truly respected and protected.
Summary and Trading Alert:
The recent conflicts between the United States and Europe are intensifying. Additionally, the US has employed aggressive tariff measures to exert maximum pressure on Europe, reminiscent of the global tariffs initiated in February 2025, ultimately leading to Trump’s TACO.
Therefore, the impact on trading instruments may also be rapidly decisive. The adjustments in the US and European stock markets could generate recent lows, while safe-haven assets such as precious metals might reach near-term highs due to accelerated risk assessments.
Traders can closely monitor recent talks, including those at Davos, to track subsequent actions following Trump’s maximum pressure tactics.
