NATO Chief Rutte Urges Arctic Unity Against China, Russia While Sidestepping U.S.-Denmark Greenland Dispute

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has called for the alliance to collectively defend the Arctic region against growing Chinese and Russian influence, carefully avoiding direct comment on the contentious issue of Washington’s bid to acquire Greenland. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Rutte affirmed the Arctic’s strategic importance but insisted support for Ukraine must remain the alliance’s top priority.

At the geopolitical crossroads of climate change and great-power competition, the Arctic is heating up. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte used a Davos platform to frame the Far North as a crucial frontier for collective defense, explicitly naming China and Russia as the driving forces behind the need for a stronger posture. However, as reported by the South China Morning Post, Rutte deftly navigated around the elephant in the room: the diplomatic row between the U.S. and its allies over Greenland.

“President Trump and other leaders are right. We have to do more there,” Rutte stated, acknowledging increased activity from non-Arctic states. He outlined the geography of the challenge: eight countries border the Arctic, seven are NATO members, and the eighth is Russia. “And I would argue there is a ninth country, which is China, which is increasingly active in the Arctic region.” This framing, according to the South China Morning Post, builds a direct case for NATO involvement in countering both traditional and non-traditional actors in the region.

The strategic stakes are amplified by melting sea ice, which is opening new shipping lanes and resource opportunities. China, despite having no Arctic territory, declared itself a “near-Arctic state” in 2018 and promotes the “Polar Silk Road” as part of its Belt and Road Initiative. This economic and scientific engagement is viewed by the U.S. and its allies as a precursor to expanded military and strategic influence.

This context is precisely why the Greenland dispute is so sensitive. The Trump administration has cited Chinese and Russian activity as a national security rationale for acquiring the autonomous Danish territory, even threatening tariffs on European nations that deploy troops there. Rutte did not address these specific tensions head-on, instead calling for the issue to be solved “in an amicable way.”

For the NATO chief, the immediate focus must lie elsewhere. “This focus on Ukraine should be our No 1 priority,” Rutte emphasized, expressing concern that allies might “drop the ball.” He pointed to critical shortages in interceptors and military equipment for Ukraine, underscoring that European security is directly tied to the outcome of the war. “It should be Ukraine first, because it is crucial for our European and US security,” he concluded.

Rutte’s dual messaging highlights NATO’s balancing act: preparing for long-term strategic competition with China and Russia in new domains like the Arctic, while managing acute, alliance-straining disputes between its own members and fighting a hot war in Europe. The path forward requires unity the alliance is currently struggling to maintain.