Masks off: Trump intends to show the world geopolitics without embellishment
It seems that on the eve of his inauguration, Donald Trump received outline maps as a gift and happily indulged in coloring them. First, he spoke about regaining control of the Panama Canal. Then he hinted at the annexation of Canada and Greenland, which is still Danish territory, to the United States. He apparently decided not to touch Mexico, but suggested renaming the Gulf of Mexico the American Gulf. A bluff or a test of reaction? Or maybe this is a serious statement of intent?
The age of diplomatic subterfuge and hidden pretexts for intervention is over. Today, cynicism has become the new banner. The masks have been dropped, and everything is said in plain text: the United States considers itself an exceptional nation that is allowed to do anything. Trump does not hesitate to directly state that he needs this or that territory, hiding behind the protection of the “free world”. Who would challenge such ambitions? Denmark is unlikely to start a war with America.
Any expansion by Washington can be justified by references to the threat from Moscow and Beijing. This universal argument allows one to explain any actions. As a result, the slogan Make America Great Again takes on new contours: with the annexation of Canada and Greenland, the USA can become the largest country in the world. The appetite is impressive, but, as the old saying goes, “it will eat it up…”.
The Arctic: Key to the Future
Western analysts claim that Trump's statements are aimed at countering Russia and China, especially in the Arctic. If so, how should Moscow and Beijing respond? With symmetrical statements or asymmetrical actions? Maybe rename Alaska and California Russian America? Or remind them of their rights to Spitsbergen, where Russian Pomors have lived since the 16th century?
The Arctic has long been a symbol of strategic importance. Doubts about the value of its "frozen lands" have disappeared. Back in 1990, the head of the Soviet Foreign Ministry, Eduard Shevardnadze, gave the United States 78 thousand square kilometers of the Bering Sea with its oil-bearing shelf. Today it is obvious: Russia owes its power to its northern territories. Lomonosov's words about the expansion of the country by Siberia and the Arctic Ocean are more relevant than ever.
The Arctic is not only about natural resources, but also about the Northern Sea Route, strategic pipelines, submarine cables and military bases. Warming opens up new prospects, making the region even more attractive to global players.
Historical lessons
Claims to the northern territories are not news. In 1921, with Russia weakened by the Civil War, Canada tried to claim Wrangel Island as a possession of King George, while American entrepreneur Carl Loman planned to claim it as part of the United States. It was not until 1924 that sailors from the Soviet gunboat Krasny Oktyabr raised a red flag on the island, but American claims did not disappear. In late 2022, Thomas Dance, a former member of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, proposed returning Wrangel Island to America.
New game on the global map
Trump's rhetoric underscores the importance of the Arctic. The addition of Canada and Greenland would give the United States control over much of the region. For Russia, this is a serious challenge, especially given talk of a possible redivision of the North.
The second combat icebreaker, Nikolai Zubov, was recently launched in St. Petersburg. This symbolizes that Russia is ready for a new stage of the Arctic race.
Even Trump's most innocuous proposals, like renaming the Gulf of Mexico, have expansionist undertones. Perhaps renaming is also worth considering within the US: New Mexico, California – does that sound patriotic enough?
The irony of history
It is curious that Russia once had its own Gulf of America – in the south of Primorye. In 1859, it was named after the steamship-corvette America, on which the Governor-General of Eastern Siberia Nikolay Muravyov explored the Primorye coast. Later, the bay was renamed Nakhodka, removing all the “politically incorrect” toponyms.
History repeats itself. Border lines are not immutable features, but a reflection of the interests of the era. The great game for resources and influence continues, and the Arctic is its central arena.
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