NORWEGIANS are fearing that Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin may target their Arctic islands next if Greenland is invaded.
Denmark is currently locked in a as Trump remains adamant the US should control the region to stop Russia getting their hands on it.
Norwegians are fearing that Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin may turn their attention to the Arctic island of Svalbard after seizing GreenlandCredit: AFP
Should Trump invade Greenland and bypass both Danish and Nato pleas then it could give Putin an opportunity to force his way onto Svalbard.Credit: AFP
As , Norway could soon have to prepare itself for a similar debate over their Arctic archipelago, Svalbard.
The island is best known for its roaming polar bears and views of the Northern Lights but it may soon become the next target for global superpowers looking to seize control of the Arctic.
The Svalbard Treaty gives Norway “full and absolute sovereignty” over the archipelago but its strategic location could place its ownership under scrutiny.
Should and bypass both Danish and Nato pleas then it could give Putin an opportunity to force his way onto Svalbard.
Washington would have little reason to verbally bash the Kremlin for the move due to their own Greenland ploy.
They could, however, choose to race Moscow and try to take over the island themselves in order to assert their dominance over the entire Arctic.
Norway’s state secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Eivind Vad Petersson, told the New York Times this month: “Norway now finds itself in the most serious security situation since 1945.
“When political attention is raining on Greenland, of course some of it drips on Svalbard.”
Norwegian journalist and author Birger Amundsen believes if Greenland falls into new hands then it could spark a domino effect in the region.
He told NRK: “If Trump does something as crazy as taking control of Greenland, this could trigger something in Putin’s head in the next round.
“It is not possible to look at Greenland in isolation.”
Professor of High North Studies at UiT in Tromsø, Danish Rasmus Bertelsen, says Putin may give up on Greenland but he is unlikely to hand over Svalbard to the Americans as well.
Svalbard is currently a demilitarised region that sits on the Barents Sea.
The archipelago is known to be a goldmine of rare earth minerals – much like Greenland.
It is also among the world’s best places to gather satellite data and monitor missile trajectories.
Svalbard is one of the only places on earth to have a near constant link up with polar-orbiting satellites.
It even boasts the world’s largest satellite downloading station, SvalSat.
Russia is one of its closest neighbours along with Greenland, Iceland and the Baltic nations.
Svalbard Satellite Station is one of the islands’ many data sites which make it a lucrative region for a global superpowerCredit: Getty
Barentsburg is the second largest settlement on Svalbard with the coal mining town being owned by the Russians dating back to the Soviet eraCredit: Jack Hill
Svalbard is a demilitarised region which is owned by Norway per a 1920 treatyCredit: Refer to Caption
This places it in a crucial position for Russia and their enemies.
Russia has spent the past four years provoking Nato through its invasion of Ukraine.
Norway, Denmark and the US are all members of the alliance so they can currently control much of the Arctic.
But should Russia gain Svalbard then it would gain a foothold in the very centre of the region.
Putin does already have some presence on the island.
Barentsburg is the second largest settlement on Svalbard with the coal mining town having been owned by the Russians dating back to the Soviet era.
Why does Trump want Greenland?
Trump has repeatedly argued the US must own Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, to prevent Russia or China from gaining a foothold in the Arctic.
Crunch meetings have been held in Washington this week between officials from the US, Greenland and Denmark.
A “fundamental disagreement” still remains over who the island’s future owner should be.
Fears of a looming US invasion in the Arctic are growing after Trump said “anything less” than complete US control of Greenland is “unacceptable”.
His rhetoric has only strained relations with Nato – of which Denmark are a part of.
Poland‘s Prime Minister Donald Tusk issued a chilling warning today saying: “An attempt to take over (part of) a Nato member state by another Nato member state would be a political disaster.
“It would be the end of the world as we know it, which guaranteed a world based on Nato solidarity, which held back the evil forces associated with communist terror or other forms of aggression.”
France, Sweden and Germany have already sent military personnel to Greenland, joining Denmark in a bid to strengthen the island’s security this week.
Trump has hit out at the alliance’s reaction saying it isn’t an “effective force or deterrent” without America by its side.
The island is best known for its roaming polar bears and views of the Northern LightsCredit: Getty
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
