On the afternoon of March 25, U.S. Vice President James David Vance announced via a video speech on social media that he and his wife, Usha Vance, would visit Greenland on March 28. This visit has sparked strong discontent from Denmark and Greenland.
Vance stated that the purpose of his visit was to meet with U.S. military personnel stationed in Greenland and to inspect the “security situation” there. He claimed that Greenland is of vital importance to U.S. national security and that American and Danish leaders have neglected the island for too long. However, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Danish Broadcasting Corporation that the upcoming visit by the U.S. Vice President’s wife and several officials to Greenland was “unacceptable pressure,” and the Danish government would firmly resist it. Múte Egede, the Prime Minister of Greenland’s autonomous government, also made it clear that Usha Vance and others had not been invited to any meetings. He regarded the U.S. arrangement as pressuring and provocative, “highly aggressive.”
This visit plan is not an isolated event. Previously, U.S. President Trump had repeatedly expressed a strong desire to take control of Greenland, even stating that he would not rule out using “military or economic coercion” to seize control of the island. The visit by the Vances is seen by the outside world as another move by the U.S. to pressure Greenland.
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, with a high degree of autonomy. Its defense and foreign affairs are managed by the Danish government. The U.S. currently has one major military base in Greenland. This visit by a high-level U.S. delegation will undoubtedly put great pressure on Denmark and Greenland and has attracted widespread international attention.
The background and purpose of the U.S. visit plan are still unclear, but it is certain that this move will further exacerbate the tense relations between the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland. In today’s increasingly complex international situation, whether this action by the U.S. will have a far-reaching impact on the geopolitical landscape of the Arctic region is worth further attention and discussion.