As Washington openly floats the idea of asserting control over Greenland, a dramatic naval operation unfolds in the freezing waters between Iceland and northern Scotland. A Russian flagged tanker is seized in the Greenland Iceland UK gap, raising urgent questions about maritime law, alliance unity, and who really controls the North Atlantic sea lanes.
At stake is something far bigger than a single ship. For the first time in its history, the transatlantic alliance is being pulled apart by the actions of its most powerful member. Could Nato survive a confrontation between allies, or are we watching the foundations begin to crack?
Roland speaks to Ben Hodges, a former commanding general of the US army in Europe, about how Nato has handled internal disputes in the past and why this moment is different.
And former Royal Navy commander Tom Sharpe explains what was on board the seized vessel, why it mattered, and what this incident means for the future of freedom of navigation.
Picture credit: Katie Miller/X, Alex Wong/Getty Images
Read David Blair's analysis: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/01/06/usa-donald-trump-take-greenland-collapse-nato/
Producer: Peter Shevlin
Executive Producer: Louisa Wells
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