[This article by Ret. Adm. Cem Gurdeniz was also published on Global Research. You can read it here.]
Conclusion
The Arctic Ocean has become one of the most critical arenas of hegemonic competition in the 21st century. As glaciers melt, not only do seas open, but the foundational assumptions of Anglo-Saxon maritime hegemony erode.
For the first time, U.S. global maritime dominance—anchored in the dollar and naval power—faces a permanent alternative.
This reality creates a high-risk environment prone to direct great-power confrontation rather than proxy conflicts.
What is unfolding in the Arctic is not merely about new trade routes or energy reserves; it signals the dissolution of the post-World War II, sea-centric Western order and the emergence of an era where rules are replaced by naked power. With crises stretching from Gaza to Syria, Africa to Latin America, the Arctic has become the coldest yet most exposed stage of this breakdown.
Greenland is the cancer of the Arctic struggle. While the primary battleground for the United States will be the Pacific, the Arctic Ocean is at least equally significant because it surrounds the geopolitical living space the U.S. has defined as the Western Hemisphere. How long can Washington tolerate this? Greenland gained autonomy in 1979 and, with the Self-Government Act of 2009, acquired the right to hold an independence referendum. Today it has its own parliament and government, with Denmark’s authority largely confined to defense and foreign policy. In recent years, discussion of a referendum has intensified. This situation creates a “window of opportunity” for the United States. According to Trump, Denmark’s control is weakening, Greenland seeks independence, China is entering the Arctic, and melting ice is opening the region strategically. For these reasons, Greenland has become critically important for Trump.
Ret Admiral Cem Gürdeniz, Writer, Geopolitical Expert, Theorist and creator of the Turkish Bluehomeland (Mavi Vatan) doctrine. He served as the Chief of Strategy Department and then the head of Plans and Policy Division in Turkish Naval Forces Headquarters. As his combat duties, he has served as the commander of Amphibious Ships Group and Mine Fleet between 2007 and 2009. He retired in 2012. He established Hamit Naci Blue Homeland Foundation in 2021. He has published numerous books on geopolitics, maritime strategy, maritime history and maritime culture. He is also a honorary member of ATASAM.
He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG).
