Why Greenland Is at the Center of a Shifting Global Order

The old order has been breaking since Russia invaded Ukraine, experts say, and the Arctic felt the change first. The new order will form in about half a decade.

A drone view shows a general view of Nuuk, Greenland, January 15, 2026. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

President Donald Trump’s pursuit of Greenland for national security purposes rankled allies ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos in January.

Trump’s threat of tariffs, coupled with his talk of possible military intervention to acquire the island, prompted sharp pushback from European countries. These tensions triggered talk of a “new world order” at Davos, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stating that the post-World War II world order was “in the midst of a rupture.”