Russia is closely monitoring Trump’s claims to Greenland

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was closely monitoring the situation after US President-elect Donald Trump refused to rule out military action to retake Greenland from Denmark.

Peskov stated that the Arctic is in the “sphere of national and strategic interests of Russia and it is interested in peace and stability.”

Trump’s remarks about Greenland – a largely autonomous territory of Denmark – prompted warnings from European leaders.

The head of the EU’s foreign affairs, Kaia Kalas, stressed that “we must respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Greenland”, while Germany’s Olaf Scholz made it clear that “borders cannot be moved by force”.

Earlier this week, Trump said the US needed both Denmark and the Panama Canal “for economic security” and refused to rule out the use of economic or military force to seize them.

He also called the Canadian border an “artificial line.” Denmark and Canada are close US NATO allies.

Dmitry Peskov said that Trump’s claims are a matter for the US, Denmark and other countries, but Russia is monitoring the “rather dramatic” situation surrounding his statements. “We are present in the Arctic zone and will be present there,” he said.

Outgoing US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken tried to play down concerns about the president-elect’s remarks during a visit to Paris: “The idea… is clearly not a good one, but perhaps more importantly, it’s clearly not going to happen. “

About 56,000 people live in Greenland, and it is home to US and Danish military bases. It also has significant untapped mineral and oil resources.

Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede is pushing for independence, even though the territory’s economy is heavily dependent on Danish subsidies.

Both he and the Danish leader emphasized that it is “not for sale” and that its future is in the hands of the Greenlanders themselves.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy downplayed Trump’s comments, although he acknowledged “the intensity of his rhetoric and the unpredictability of what he has said can sometimes destabilize the situation.”

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Copenhagen was clearly interested in the US – “absolutely its closest ally” – playing a key role in a period of rising tensions in the North Atlantic, particularly involving Russia.

The European Commission said Trump’s threat to Greenland was “purely theoretical” and “wildly hypothetical” given that he is not yet in office.

However, he confirmed that Greenland, as an overseas territory, falls under the mutual assistance clause, which requires all EU states to come to its aid in the event of an attack.

The Kremlin derided the European response, suggesting it had reacted “very timidly … almost in a whisper.”

Last week, Greenland’s leader said the territory must free itself from the “shackles of colonialism,” although he did not mention the United States.

Former Greenlandic foreign minister Pele Broberg, who now heads the largest opposition party, told the BBC that most Greenlanders he spoke to believed the US was vital to their defense and security.

“We’re part of the North American continent, so US defense is in such a great place with respect to Greenland because we’re creating a buffer zone that doesn’t need to be militarized.”

He called for a “free association agreement” with the US covering trade and defence, which would give Greenland independence but give the US responsibility for security.

Trump’s associates reinforced his views on Greenland.

Keith Kellogg, who was handpicked by Trump to end the war in Ukraine, said many of the president-elect’s remarks about Greenland made sense by “putting the United States in a position of world leadership.”

Republican Congressman Mike Waltz told Fox News that it’s “not just about Greenland, it’s about the Arctic” because Russia is trying to take control of the polar region with its mineral and natural resources.

“Denmark might be a great ally, but you can’t treat Greenland, which they control, as some sort of backwater—it’s in the Western Hemisphere.”