With the largest territory in the Arctic out of any of the Arctic Council’s members, Denmark is in a unique position to shape Arctic policy relative to its size. Continued possession of Greenland, friction with Russia and growing Chinese interest in the region weigh heavily on Copenhagen’s Arctic agenda. In our previous report on Denmark’s Arctic outlook, we identified several hot points for Denmark’s Arctic outlook. We revisit and assess those hot points one year on.
Denmark’s Acting Minister of Defense Troels Lund Poulsen
Key Judgement 1. It is likely that Denmark will bolster defence cooperation and security ties with its Arctic neighbors in the next 12 months.
Key Judgement 2. It is highly likely that Denmark will heavily invest in military capabilities in order to project force into the Arctic region in the next 12 months.
Key Judgement 3. It is unlikely that China will increase the scope of its economic involvement in Greenland, allowing for more investment in Russian Arctic infrastructure in the next 12 months.