Denmark: US push for Greenland adds uncertainty to transatlantic ties: Danish scholar

Shotlist FILE: Nuuk, Greenland, Denmark - Jan 17, 2025 1. Aerial shots of cityscape, buildings, port Denmark - Jan 2026 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Steen Bjerre, Danish scholar (starting with shot 1/partially overlaid with shot 3): "Now we are seeing possibilities to shorten the routes from Asia to Europe and North America. And together with this development, it has also been realized that there are many unexplored resources on the Arctic region, [including] Greenland. And we are talking about oil, we are talking about gas, we are talking about rare kinds of earth, we are talking about minerals we need for a way to strengthen our industry and our societies. So together with this development, we have seen an increasing interest. Then you ask, what could the concentration behind this interest be? Of course money, of course our economy, but also military interests." [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] FILE: Nuuk, Greenland, Denmark - Jan 17, 2025 3. Aerial shots of houses, flag of Greenland [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] FILE: Washington D.C., USA - October 2024 4. Various of White House 5. Capitol building Brussels, Belgium - Dec 15, 2025 6. Various of Berlaymont building (headquarters of European Commission), EU flags, sign FILE: Brussels, Belgium - Oct 27, 2023 7. Sign of European Council; flags of EU, member countries Denmark - Jan 2026 8. SOUNDBITE (English) Steen Bjerre, Danish scholar (starting with shot 7/partially overlaid with shots 9-10): "Of course, the Americans have no right to take Greenland. And the consequence if you take it to an extreme is that there will be a conflict between the United States and Europe, the rest of NATO. The United States has the ambition and they are actually a bit in the conflict with what Europeans they want. So geopolitically, I see from the relationship between European Union and the United States, that it could be also a difficult situation for NATO and for the stability in the Western Hemisphere." [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] FILE: Brussels, Belgium - April 3, 2024 9. NATO banners 10. "NATO Star" sculpture [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] FILE: Greenland, Denmark - March 2025 11. Aerial shot of floating sea ice 12. Various of houses, snow-covered landscape Storyline The U.S. push for influence in Greenland reflects rising strategic tensions in the Arctic and adds new uncertainty to regional security and transatlantic ties, said Danish scholar Dr. Steen Bjerre in an interview. As a self-governing territory of Denmark, Greenland has once again drawn global attention following recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who reiterated on December 22 his desire to make the island "part of the United States," a move strongly opposed by Denmark and the European Union. "Now we are seeing possibilities to shorten the routes from Asia to Europe and North America. And together with this development, it has also been realized that there are many unexplored resources on the Arctic region, [including] Greenland. And we are talking about oil, we are talking about gas, we are talking about rare kinds of earth, we are talking about minerals we need for a way to strengthen our industry and our societies. So together with this development, we have seen an increasing interest. Then you ask, what could the concentration behind this interest be? Of course money, of course our economy, but also military interests," said Bjerre. Bjerre pointed out that Greenland holds significant value in terms of geopolitical strategy, resource reserves, and Arctic shipping routes, and has long been a focal point of U.S. attention. As environmental changes and improved navigability reshape the Arctic, Greenland's strategic position on the global stage continues to rise. The U.S. interest in the island is far from accidental, driven by a complex mix of economic, resource-related, security, and strategic considerations, said the scholar. "Of course, the Americans have no right to take Greenland. And the consequence if you take it to an extreme is that there will be a conflict between the United States and Europe, the rest of NATO. The United States has the ambition and they are actually a bit in the conflict with what Europeans they want. So geopolitically, I see from the relationship between European Union and the United States, that it could be also a difficult situation for NATO and for the stability in the Western Hemisphere," said Bjerre. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]