Greenland has become a focal point of renewed great-power competition as China and Russia expand their presence in the Arctic while the United States reiterates long-standing strategic interest. The island’s melting ice is revealing new shipping routes and vast mineral deposits, prompting both geopolitical manoeuvring and commercial ventures.
Greenland geopolitics and rising Arctic competition
For more than a century Washington has eyed Greenland for its strategic value. Recent remarks from the US president revived those ambitions, but the context has changed. Greenland is now an autonomous territory of Denmark with a strong local government that has repeatedly rejected the notion of being sold. Meanwhile, China and Russia are deepening their Arctic footprints through scientific missions, shipping trials and military assertions.
China has framed its interest in the region within broader economic initiatives, proposing an Arctic shipping corridor since 2017 as part of its global connectivity plans. Chinese carriers have already trialled routes that cross the Arctic, shortening voyages between East Asia and Europe. Such passages reduce transit time compared with the Suez Canal route but raise environmental and logistical concerns given the fragile Arctic environment.
Russia’s Arctic presence is long-standing and multifaceted. Moscow maintains a robust fleet of surface vessels and submarines and emphasises the region as a zone of strategic importance. Russian officials have publicly vowed to defend national interests in the north, underscoring the military and security dimensions of Arctic policy.
Those moves have not gone unnoticed in Europe. Denmark, a NATO and EU member, has insisted Greenland is not for sale while signalling a willingness to cooperate with allies on research and sustainable resource development. Greenland’s government has also asserted its autonomy and resisted attempts to treat the island as a bargaining chip.
Beyond security, commercial pressures are mounting. Accelerating ice melt exposes new shipping lanes and makes mineral deposits more accessible. Companies such as Britain’s 80 Mile and Australia’s Critical Metals Corporation have disclosed exploration projects for oil, titanium, nickel, copper and rare earth elements. Executives cite newly navigable coastal waters and emerging ports as enabling factors for development.
Those resources carry global significance. Rare earths in particular are central to modern technologies and supply chains for green energy and defence sectors. Access to such deposits could shift supply dynamics at a time when industrialised nations prioritise secure sources of critical materials.
Environmental and safety concerns accompany these opportunities. Observers warn that increased shipping and extraction present risks to Arctic ecosystems, while search and rescue capacity remains limited in remote polar waters. The balance between commercial exploitation and environmental protection will be a central theme in policy debates.
Looking ahead, Greenland will remain an intersection of strategic, scientific and commercial interests. Its status as an autonomous territory within Denmark complicates any unilateral actions, but the island’s resources and location ensure it will feature prominently in Arctic policy discussions among the United States, China, Russia and European partners.
As global attention on the Arctic intensifies, Greenland geopolitics will test international cooperation on security, resource governance and environmental stewardship.
Key Takeaways:
- China and Russia increase Arctic activity, challenging traditional US influence and raising the profile of Greenland geopolitics.
- Melting ice opens shipping routes and exposes mineral deposits, attracting mining and shipping investment.
- Denmark and Greenland assert autonomy, refusing sale but open to cooperation on research and resource development.
- Strategic and military interests intertwine with commercial ambitions, making Greenland a focal point of great-power rivalry.
