Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes Lessons from the Greenland crisis
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Feb 13, 2026 Jim O’Brien, former U.S. assistant secretary of state and transatlantic policy expert, and Tiago Antunes, former Portuguese secretary of state with firsthand reporting from Nuuk. They trace the Greenland crisis: how tensions rose and were diffused, why visible deterrence and European unity mattered, Greenlanders’ reactions on the ground, and the island’s economic and political prospects.
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Unity Moved The Needle In Davos
- European unity and credible threats of economic retaliation forced the US to back down on Greenland.
- Mark Leonard and Jim O’Brien argue confrontation, not appeasement, produced results against Trump’s move.
Heroic Welcome In Nuuk
- Tiago Antunes witnessed a large patriotic rally welcoming Greenland's foreign minister in Nuuk.
- He reported rising patriotism and anti-American sentiment after Trump's threats and media attention.
Fear And Stockpiles In Greenland
- Tiago reported Greenlanders stockpiling supplies due to anxiety over possible US military options.
- He described real fear even if invasion seemed unlikely, until Trump publicly ruled it out in Davos.
