This analysis examines the global consequences of a hypothetical U.S. seizure of Greenland, focusing on how such an act would reshape strategic calculations in Russia and China. Building on recent warnings from the International CrisisGroup and Chatham House, the text argues that Greenland is not merely a territorial dispute but a stress test for the post-1945 international order. If Washington were to override Danish sovereignty, it would normalize coercive “gunboat diplomacy,” weaken NATO’s normative foundations, and hand Moscow and Beijing a powerful geopolitical narrative: that rules apply only until great powers decide otherwise. The analysis shows how Russia would exploit the precedent to justify future coercion in its neighborhood, while China would leverage it to undermine U.S. credibility globally and deepen divisions within Europe. Ultimately, the Greenland scenario reveals how alliances can fracture not through external attack, but through internal contradiction—turning deterrence into vulnerability and legality into a bargaining chip.

Bibliography

ChathamHouse. 2026. U.S. Intentions Towards Greenland Threaten NATO’s Future: European Countries Are Not Helpless. London: Royal Institute of International Affairs. January.
https://www.chathamhouse.org/2026/01/us-intentions-towards-greenland-threaten-natos-future-european-countries-are-not-helpless

InternationalCrisis Group. 2026. From Venezuela to Greenland? Trump’s Gunboat Diplomacy. Brussels.
https://www.crisisgroup.org/latin-america-caribbean/venezuela/venezuela-greenland-trumps-gunboat-diplomacy

Messmer, Marion. 2026. “U.S. Intentions Towards Greenland Threaten NATO’s Future.” Chatham House Expert Comment. London.
https://www.chathamhouse.org

United Nations. 1945. Charter of the United Nations. San Francisco.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). 1949. The North Atlantic Treaty. Washington, DC.

In this episode, we examine how recent U.S. actions in Venezuela may reshape the global context in which peace talks over Ukraine are taking place. Moving beyond headlines and geography, the analysis explains how precedent, power, and narrative influence diplomacy. We explore why Ukraine faces a strategic dilemma, how Russia can exploit perceived double standards, and how the normalization of force by great powers complicates negotiations. The episode argues that even distant conflicts can alter the logic of peace, not by changing borders, but by changing the rules under which power is exercised.

Bibliography

Kramer, Andrew E. “Ukrainians Welcome a U.S. Victory in Venezuela, and Lament a Double Standard.” New York Times, January 4, 2026.

Méheut, Constant. “How Russia and Ukraine Are Fighting to Shape Trump’s View of the War.” New York Times, December 30, 2025.

Monroe, James. Seventh Annual Message to Congress. December 2, 1823. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Nehamas, Nicholas, Edward Wong, and Tyler Pager. “Russia Asks United States to Stop Pursuit of Fleeing Oil Tanker.” New York Times, January 1, 2026.

Nierenberg, Amelia. “Denmark Tells Trump to ‘Stop the Threats’ About Greenland.” New York Times, January 5, 2026.

Sanger, David E. “The Donroe Doctrine.” New York Times, The Morning,January 2026.

United States. National Security Council. National Security Strategy of the United States. Washington, D.C., November 2025.

This episode explains the Monroe Doctrine, a foundational principle of U.S. foreign policy first declared in 1823, and traces how its meaning has changed over time. It shows how a doctrine originally designed to prevent European intervention in the Americas gradually evolved into a tool used to justify U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere. Using recent events and contemporary political discourse as context, the text helps students understand the historical origins, transformations, and current debates surrounding the Monroe Doctrine,emphasizing the difference between its original defensive purpose and its modern reinterpretations.

Bibliography

Monroe, James. Seventh Annual Message to Congress (Monroe Doctrine). December 2, 1823. U.S. National Archives.

Sanger, David E. “The Donroe Doctrine.” The New York Times, The Morning newsletter, January 2026.

Smith, Peter H. Talons of the Eagle: Latin America, the United States, and the World. 5th ed. Oxford University Press, 2017.

Gilderhus, Mark T. The Second Century: U.S.–Latin American Relations since 1889. Scholarly Resources, 2000.

Grandin, Greg. Empire’s Workshop: Latin America, the United States, and the Rise of the New Imperialism. Metropolitan Books, 2006.

Brands, H. W. What America Owes the World: The Struggle for the Soul of Foreign Policy.Cambridge University Press, 1998.

U.S. National Security Council. National Security Strategy of the United States.Washington, D.C., November 2025.