What We’re Watching: Greenlanders & Danes comes to DC, Somalia cuts ties with the UAE, Japan is heading for an election

Greenland officials come to Washington, after PM rejects joining US

Rock, meet hard place: officials from Denmark and Greenland are meeting with members of the Trump administration to discuss the future of the semi-autonomous island. The various players have discussed the matter before, but this is the first time since US President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric about taking over Greenland. Yesterday, Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen rejected the idea of joining the United States, saying, “We choose Denmark.” Meanwhile, Europe is keen to strike a deal that keeps the NATO alliance intact and avoids a military encounter. The US Senate may have a similar view: a bipartisan group will reportedly propose a bill that would bar the State Department from using congressional funds to annex Greenland. This move could hamstring Trump’s negotiating position.

Somalia abruptly cuts ties with the UAE

The East African nation says the UAE violated its sovereignty. Although Somalia didn’t provide additional details, the move comes amid allegations by Saudi Arabia that the UAE helped a fugitive rebel from Yemen flee to Abu Dhabi via Somali territory. Cutting ties with the UAE is a big deal: the Emirates have invested lots of money in Somalia’s ports and military over the years. But there are other recent irritants — including when Israel recognized the independence of Somaliland, a secessionist region of the country, there were whispers that the UAE had supported the move. Not coincidentally, they would continue to recognize the UAE. Zoom out and this looks like yet another example of the growing UAE vs Saudi rivalry in the region? See more on thathere.

Japan’s prime minister expected to take a general election gamble

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to call a snap general election in February according to coalition partners – her first major political gamble since taking office last year. Takaichi is hoping her high approval ratings will propel her Liberal Democratic Party – which by contrast, is quite unpopular – to an outright majority in both houses of parliament. However, the LDP, which has ruled Japan almost continuously since 1955, is no longer in coalition with the Komeito Party for the first time in 26 years, which could hurt their voter turnout. Takaichi is betting the election strengthens her mandate before passing a budget that is likely to take aim at the country’s mountain of debt, but she is also opening herself up to the risk that her party loses even more seats.