Why Greenland Is So Important: The Key Is the GIUK Gap, Which Gives China and Russia Access to the Eastern U.S.

The U.S. wants Greenland. While this is nothing new—when President Donald Trump said in January that he wanted to take control of the enclave, it marked the fifth time in history that the U.S. had “knocked” on the island’s door—there’s now a difference from other attempts. Greenland has something that makes it a strategic zone for Russia and China.

The Russian and Chinese threat. Greenland has become a critical point for U.S. national security. Although much has been said about it, it’s not primarily for economic or symbolic reasons but because of its strategic position in the fight against the advance of Russian or, eventually, Chinese submarines. Christopher G. Cavoli, NATO’s supreme allied commander in Europe and head of the U.S. European Command, confirmed this.

He testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee that access to Greenland’s air and sea space is critical to detecting and tracking Russian submarines before they vanish into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. The island is part of the western edge of the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom (GIUK) gap, a vital corridor through which the Russian submarine fleet transits from Murmansk—home to the Kremlin’s most advanced vessels, such as the Yasen-M-class submarines armed with long-range cruise missiles.

The GIUK gap. This maritime choke point corridor could allow Russian or Chinese submarines to operate undetected in the North Atlantic. Once they cross the gap, tracking them becomes extremely difficult, both because of the underwater terrain’s acoustic conditions and the vastness of the ocean. From these hidden positions, they can launch missile attacks against strategic targets on the East Coast of the Americas.

In fact, the U.S. formed the so-called Task Group Greyhound in 2021, a specialized group of anti-submarine destroyers designed to counter this specific threat. The Navy warned at the time that the country’s East Coast was no longer a safe haven, stressing the urgency of establishing surveillance and defense points in key areas such as Greenland.

A GIUK gap map during the Cold War (still relevant).

The Russian response. According to The War Zone, Russia has shown that it understands the value of this corridor. In 2019, it staged its largest naval exercise since the Cold War, sending at least 10 fully submerged submarines through the GIUK gap, aiming to reach the Atlantic without being intercepted.

Norwegian media outlets reported that the intention was to test the ability of the West to detect the fleet’s movements and demonstrate that Russia could project power to U.S. shores. These exercises also served to prevent U.S. or NATO naval forces from operating near the Arctic or threatening Russian bases in the Barents Sea, where Russian strategic submarines patrol and Moscow is expanding its territorial presence.

Forward control point. The island of Greenland, less than 200 miles from Iceland, is a natural bottleneck within the GIUK. This proximity allows it to serve as a forward base for anti-submarine operations. Although the U.S. already has the Space Force base at Pituffik (formerly Thule), equipped with early warning radars for ballistic attacks, Cavoli suggests that expanding military capabilities in other areas of the island would be strategically advantageous.

In this light, the mere possibility that Russia or China could establish military facilities on Greenland represents an unacceptable risk. From there, they could deploy intercontinental-range weapons just 1,240 miles from U.S. territory.

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Diplomatic tensions. The news these days is dominated by this background. Cavoli’s comments come amid high political tension between the U.S. and Denmark, the sovereign nation over Greenland. Trump’s renewed insistence on acquiring the island has reignited a diplomatic conflict that dates back to his first term.

In addition, Vice President J.D. Vance’s recent visit to the island provoked an intense backlash from local and Danish authorities, who came together to show unity in the face of U.S. annexation aspirations. At the same time, Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to Denmark to calm the situation and reaffirm the strength of the bilateral relationship, although tensions remain.

One more thing. While tracking Russian submarines is the centerpiece of the strategy, there’s more to it. Greenland offers other military advantages: Its radar infrastructure allows for early detection of ballistic launches, giving the U.S. government additional time to respond to an attack.

In addition, its location at the northwestern tip of the Atlantic makes it a crucial logistical point in any Arctic or intercontinental conflict. Although Iceland already hosts squadrons of U.S. anti-submarine aircraft to cover the GIUK gap, Greenland could provide redundancy, extended range and greater operational flexibility.

Geopolitics on ice. While the debate continues as to whether the U.S. needs to acquire Greenland or simply increase its presence in the region, the fact remains that the island has moved from being a remote block of ice to a significant strategic focus. The increasing militarization of the Arctic, the resurgence of Russian naval power and the global competition for control of polar routes place Greenland at the center of a new geopolitical chessboard.

Its value lies not in demographics, economy and tourism, but in its ability to influence the balance of power between rival nations. In an era of undersea war, every mile of protected coastline is worth its weight in gold—and Greenland counts for a lot, now more than ever.

Image | Annie Spratt (Unsplash)

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