Territorial Disputes

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The Prohibitions of Threat of Force Revisited: Greenland, Credibility and International Law

January 26, 2026

In the beginning of January, following reported United States actions against Venezuela and threats by President Trump against Cuba, Colombia and Mexico, there were renewed statements by President Trump regarding the annexation of Greenland. President Trump stated that “we need Greenland from the standpoint of national security". On 6 January, it was reported that the White House stated the President and his advisers were discussing a range of options to acquire Greenland and that the use of force “is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal.” Although a similar narrative dominated the news last year, the present context has placed threats of taking over Greenland in a new perspective. On Monday, 5 January, the Danish Prime Minister publicly urged President Trump to “stop the threats” concerning Greenland, stressing that “the United States has no right to annex any of the three nations in the Danish realm”. After these developments, further statements by President Trump and senior advisers reinforced the impression that military options were being seriously contemplated.

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The Davos Trap on Greenland

January 23, 2026

The dispute about Greenland has been conducted by the US as a zero-sum game. Either ‘ownership’ over Greenland would be handed over to Washington, or else economic sanctions or worse would be applied to Denmark and her European allies. It was all or nothing until earlier this week.  There is a general sense that NATO…

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Guatemala’s Application to Intervene in the Sapodilla Cayes Case: An Impermissible Intervention by an Indispensable Party?

December 22, 2025

The International Court of Justice recently heard oral arguments by Guatemala, Belize and Honduras on Guatemala’s application to intervene under Article 62 of the Statute in the case concerning Sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes (Belize v Honduras). Guatemala’s prima facie grounds for intervention are straightforward: it is one of the three parties (in addition to Belize and…

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A Commentary on the Land and Maritime Delimitation and Sovereignty over Islands (Gabon/Equatorial Guinea) (2025)

July 17, 2025

The two African states of Equatorial Guinea and Gabon were the focus of recent international attention. And there is a good reason for that. On 19 May 2025, the International Court of Justice (henceforth: ICJ) delivered the merits of its long-awaited ruling in the case of Land and Maritime Delimitation and Sovereignty over Islands (Gabon/Equatorial Guinea) concerning their…

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AG Ćapeta’s Western Sahara Opinions: Undermining the Law of Decolonization

May 14, 2024

The law on decolonization has two primary objectives: transfer power from colonizer to people in accordance with their will and protect the people until that happens. On 21 March 2024, Advocate General Ćapeta delivered three linked opinions at the European Court of Justice that seriously undermine these objectives. The cases concern EU trade agreements with Morocco purporting to…

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