Europe plans first undersea cable to Greenland, bypassing US for Asia links

The European Union plans to build the Pan-Arctic Cable, the first subsea Internet link directly connecting Europe to Greenland, bypassing the United States. The project could extend to Canada and eventually link with Japan and South Korea. The European Commission's October 20, 2026 strategy document calls the cable a flagship project supporting a sovereign and secure connection, with Canada as a potential stepping stone toward Asia. The plan follows a September 2026 trilateral security agreement settling US claims to Greenland, though transatlantic relations remain strained over trade wars and US policy on Ukraine. More than 90 percent of Europe-Asia communications rely on Red Sea cables, which have become riskier due to renewed Houthi attacks on commercial shipping. Experts note the project reflects shifting geopolitical priorities, as such a cable would have seemed commercially unattractive just five years ago.