Canada throws support behind Greenland amid U.S. tensions

There’s a little more tension between the U.S. and China tonight as the Trump administration looks to control Venezuelan oil exports.

That rising tension is happening as Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to visit China next week.

Carney and other world leaders continue to navigate U.S. President Donald Trump’s focus on Greenland – a Danish territory.

Experts say if the U.S. took the arctic island by force, there is very little other countries could do about it.

“We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security,” said Trump.

With tensions escalating between the U.S. and Denmark over Greenland, Canada has thrown its support behind the arctic island  and will be opening a consulate in Greenland in February.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Trump has always intended to buy Greenland, but the president himself hasn’t ruled out military action.

Jane Boulden, a political science professor at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ont., says if the U.S. did invade Greenland, there’s not much Canada and NATO could do about it.

“That’s the big question. So it could do something, it could go to war against the United States. The question is, will it? Would it? And even if it did, the odds are it would lose because the United States is just that strong militarily,” said Boulden.

While that drama is going on, Carney is scheduled to journey to China next week as the two countries move to restore stronger ties after years of trade and political tensions.

“I think it’s really significant, really important because, as everybody’s aware, the whole international economic situation is in a state of flux. It’s not clear what direction the United States is heading vis-a-vis Canada economically. So it makes sense for us to be reaching out to other partners, including major economic actors like China,” said Boulden.

Canada has co-signed a pact to help secure Ukraine from further Russian invasions after a peace deal is in place, but what that means for Ukraine is still up in the air.

“We’ve seen some elements emerge that are part of the discussion, like troops on the ground from European states, possibly also Canada – or other versions of that kind of security guarantee that go beyond just a written ‘we’ll come to your defence,’” said Boulden.

Boulden says that would be the ideal arrangement for Ukraine because if Russia were to invade again with other countries’ troops on the ground, Putin would essentially be going to war with those countries as well.

WATCH MORE: Trump renews push for U.S. control of Greenland amid Danish, European pushback