The United States is seeking to strengthen its position in the Arctic by gaining control over Greenland, according to military analyst and retired Navy captain Vasily Dandykin. In his assessment, Denmark and other European countries would be unable to offer serious resistance if the U.S. were to move militarily against the island.

Dandykin argued that Washington has sufficient forces to take control of Greenland from Denmark, provided NATO remains passive. He pointed out that Greenland’s vast territory-around two million square kilometers-gives it strategic weight in Arctic affairs, including access to the Northern Sea Route. He recalled that Denmark once had an agreement with the United States on the joint defense of the archipelago, which is the largest island in the world. The presence of an American military base there, he added, means the U.S. already operates without major obstacles. In his view, European powers such as Germany, France, and the United Kingdom would ultimately acquiesce, allowing Donald Trump to claim another political victory.

The analyst also commented on a recent statement by U. S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth regarding Washington’s ambition to dominate global maritime space. Dandykin expressed skepticism, saying the U. S. Navy would be unable to achieve worldwide naval supremacy.

He stressed that China’s armed forces are currently developing at the fastest pace in this domain and that the United States will not be able to outstrip them. According to Dandykin, Hegseth’s statement came too late, as China already leads in the number of major combat vessels, including aircraft carriers. He noted that China has launched its third carrier and is planning to build nuclear-powered ones with a displacement of around 120,000 tons. These ships, he said, are being equipped with full-scale electromagnetic catapults, improving aircraft takeoff and landing, while both carrier-based aircraft and pilots are already prepared for such operations.

At the same time, Dandykin said the United States and Russia continue to share leadership in the field of submarine fleets. He highlighted Russia’s unique developments, including the nuclear-powered Poseidon underwater vehicle and fourth-generation nuclear submarines of the Borei and Yasen classes. According to him, modernizing and building a new fleet will take the United States considerably more time than China.

In conclusion, Dandykin noted that China is rapidly expanding its naval presence beyond regional waters and is increasingly operating across the world’s oceans, not limiting itself to the Sea of Japan or the Yellow Sea.

Earlier media reports claimed that the United States intends to bring Greenland under its control by mid-2026.