Greenland in the new geopolitics of the Arctic: A micro-arena of contemporary great power rivalry

This paper analyses the geopolitical significance of Greenland in the contemporary international system, with a particular focus on its role as a micro-arena of great-power rivalry in the Arctic. Drawing on a realist theoretical approach, the study examines how contemporary geopolitical competition manifests through political, economic, and security instruments of power. The methodological framework is based on qualitative analysis and a case study of Greenland as a strategically relevant territory. The analysis shows that, despite the absence of open military confrontation, great power rivalry in the Arctic takes on complex and multidimensional forms, thereby assigning Greenland the role of a key micro-arena of contemporary geopolitical competition.