Preparing launching pad: political scientist Reiterovych on Trump's geopolitical statements

He shared this view on Espreso TV.

"By the way, Putin's 'mouthpiece,' Peskov (the press secretary of the Russian leader), has begun claiming: 'Look, they accuse us, but the U.S. wants the same, and now we'll even protect Greenland.' However, there’s a significant difference—firstly, Trump has not yet been inaugurated as president, and that matters. Once he becomes president, the tone of his statements will likely be more restrained. Secondly, Trump enjoys raising the stakes and introducing seemingly absurd ideas because, as a businessman-negotiator, he later lowers these stakes," Reiterovych noted.

According to him, Trump’s goals have already been outlined by his national security advisor, Waltz, who explained in an interview what the newly elected U.S. president seeks to achieve. Waltz stated that the U.S. faces challenges in the northern part of the continent, where Canada is located, necessitating the expansion of American military bases. This is not an issue for Canada within NATO, as the country ranks near the bottom in defense spending and needs to strengthen its security and increase the U.S. presence.

"Greenland is significant for controlling the Arctic and because the shortest course for ballistic missiles passes over the North Pole. Therefore, at the very least, the U.S. presence in Greenland must be expanded. As for Panama, Trump will likely impose economic pressure to introduce certain changes to the Panama Canal's operations, reducing, for example, Chinese interests. Essentially, Trump is preparing his launching pad" the political analyst emphasized.

In his view, parallels between Trump and Putin will only be drawn by Russians who would love to see something similar—an American landing in Greenland, a referendum, and subsequent annexation by the United States. However, none of this will happen.

"There will, of course, be talks about purchase, leasing, or other arrangements, which may develop further but will definitely occur within international law and with the involvement of all relevant parties. There’s no need for significant concern, as Trump and the entire American system will not allow actions that harm the U.S. or disrupt relations with allies. After all, Canada and Denmark are NATO founding members alongside the U.S., making it difficult to create conflicts with them. Trump is currently preparing and aims to secure the most advantageous positions," Reiterovych concluded.

• During his first term, Trump announced that he was considering the possibility of the U.S. purchasing Greenland and canceled a state visit to Denmark after Danish officials stated that the autonomous territory, which is part of the kingdom, was not for sale.  
• On December 22, Trump once again declared U.S. intentions to control Greenland: "For the sake of national security and freedom worldwide, the United States of America considers ownership and control of Greenland to be an absolute necessity."  
• Prime Minister Múte Egede stated that Greenland cannot be purchased. "Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and never will be. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom," he said.  
• Following this, Denmark's Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen announced that the country would increase defense spending on the island. Poulsen called the announcement "ironic," as Trump claimed that ownership and control of Greenland were an "absolute necessity" for the U.S.  
• On January 6, the King of Denmark altered the royal coat of arms, making the symbols of Greenland and the Faroe Islands more prominent, which was seen as a rebuke to Donald Trump's claims over Greenland.