Hi Global Recap readers,
Quick heads-up: new year, new style.
I’ve been working on making the newsletter easier to read for a while now, especially since my writing style’s been evolving too.
I’m also trying to keep each story as tight as possible, but a lot of stories these days are genuinely complex with a ton of moving parts. If I cut too much, it starts to feel like a half-truth.
So thanks in advance for bearing with me while I fine-tune things over the next few days. Suggestions are welcome too!
🇩🇰 DENMARK
Denmark's Greenland Counterattack Order
What would Denmark’s response be to a possible U.S. military intervention in Greenland?
“Shoot first and ask questions later.”
Order: The March 6, 1952 ordinance, signed under King Frederik IX, says that if Danish territory or a Danish military unit abroad is attacked, the forces under attack must take up the first first, without waiting for or seeking orders, even if their commanders are unaware war has been declared.
Confirmation: This week, Denmark's defense ministry told Danish outlet Berlingske the order "remains in force," meaning it is still the standing instruction for Danish forces, including those stationed in Greenland.
Diplomacy: Aside from the war rhetoric, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he will meet with Danish officials next week to discuss the Trump administration’s push to acquire Greenland.
The White House said Tuesday that “US military is always an option.”
Rubio did not commit publicly on whether the administration would risk NATO over Greenland, but in a classified briefing, he reportedly told lawmakers that the aim is eventually to purchase Greenland rather than invade it.
On top of all this, Greenland's government also asked for an urgent meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss the situation.
📌 Context: Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, and its geography makes it strategically central for Arctic access and U.S. missile defense infrastructure.
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
U.S. Seizes Shadow Tankers
The US just seized two tankers tied to Venezuelan crude in near back-to-back boardings across the North Atlantic and the Caribbean. One ship ran for nearly two weeks. The other got grabbed before sunrise.
First Tanker
Marinera
The first target was the Russian-flagged Marinera, previously known as Bella 1, tracked across the Atlantic after refusing an earlier boarding attempt near Venezuela.
Capture: U.S. officials said it was seized near Iceland, with U.S. special forces helping secure it before Coast Guard control took over.
Strangeness: Here’s the part that doesn’t add up. Reports say the tanker was carrying no oil when it was intercepted.
Yet Russia supposedly still sent a submarine and several vessels to escort it. Why burn serious military resources on an “empty” tanker?
One explanation is that it wasn’t acting as an ordinary tanker at all. Speculation has focused on the possibility that it was transporting something else—potentially concealed cargo. One theory is that high-value Russian weapons were hidden inside the hull.
Flags: U.S. officials say the tanker previously flew another country’s flag, then flipped to Russia mid-flight, a move maritime experts say is not supposed to happen during a voyage unless ownership or registry actually changes.
Second Tanker
Unclassified video of U.S. forces board the M Sophia in a pre-dawn operation in the Caribbean. Posted on Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Noem’s X account.
Caribbean: The second ship, the M/T Sophia, was described by US Southern Command as a “stateless, sanctioned” tanker “conducting illicit activities” in international waters in the Caribbean. The Coast Guard is escorting it to the US for “final disposition.”
Leverage
Comments: By enforcing oil sanctions on Venezuela, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio argues that Washington gains substantial leverage over Caracas. If Venezuela can’t evade the restrictions, its export revenues fall sharply—tightening the country’s cash flow and deepening the strain on its economy.
📌 Context: U.S. officials say Marinera previously flew another country’s flag, then flipped to Russia mid-flight, a move maritime experts say is not supposed to happen during a voyage unless ownership or registry actually changes.
🇷🇺 RUSSIA
Tanker Seizure, Torpedo Talk
Alexei Zhuravlev
But here's the problem with all this. A Russian politician is now talking about shooting torpedoes at U.S. assets in response to the recent tanker captures.
Threat: Russian lawmaker Alexei Zhuravlev, clearly unhappy with the U.S.'s recent military sanctions enforcement, he urged Russia to "sink a couple of American Coast Guard boats."
Reaction: Some on social media say the U.S. is starting World War III, while others argue it’s simply enforcing sanctions that had gone unenforced for years. Others are mocking Zhuravlev, with comments like: “He thinks Russia can do anything when it can’t even defeat ‘Little Russia.’”
Context: “Little Russia” is a historical term for Ukraine used by the Russian Empire.
“To attack with torpedoes, to sink a couple of American Coast Guard boats, normally, they guard their shore several thousand kilometers away from it. I think the United States, which is in a kind of euphoria of impunity after the special operation in Venezuela, can only be stopped now with such a click on the nose."
🇨🇴 COLOMBIA
Petro Gets White House Invite
Colombian President Petro (left) and U.S. President Trump (right)
After days of threats, President Donald Trump says Colombian President Gustavo Petro is being invited to the White House after the two leaders spoke by phone. The pivot comes right after Trump flirted with a U.S. military operation aimed at Colombia’s government.
Whiplash: On Jan. 7, Trump posted on Truth Social that Petro "called to explain" the drugs situation and other disputes, and that "arrangements are being made" for a Washington meeting. No date has been announced.
Backdrop: The call followed Trump’s Sunday remark that a U.S. military operation focused on Colombia’s government "sounds good," rhetoric that landed in Bogotá as a direct threat.
Tone: Petro told supporters at a Bogotá rally tied to Colombia’s sovereignty that it was the first phone call between the two since he took office, and he asked for a restart of dialogue. A Petro aide described the exchange as "cordial" and "respectful."
Baggage: Their relationship has been strained since Trump returned to office in January 2025.
Trump blames Petro’s government for cocaine reaching the U.S., imposing sanctions on Petro in October, and revoking Petro’s U.S. visa in September after Petro joined a pro-Palestinian protest in New York and urged U.S. soldiers to disobey Trump.
📌 Context: U.S.-Colombia ties have long revolved around security cooperation and counternarcotics policy, but Petro’s leftist government has pushed a different political line at home and abroad. This invite looks like a diplomatic reset attempt after months of insults, sanctions, and escalating talk of force.
