Russian President Vladimir Putin offered commentary on — and effectively endorsed — U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks that Greenland should become part of the United States.
“At first glance, this might seem surprising to some. But it’s a mistake to assume these are merely extravagant notions from the new American administration. Not at all,” Putin said during Russia's Arctic Forum in Murmansk. “In fact, such plans emerged in the United States as early as the 1860s. Even then, the American administration considered annexing Greenland and Iceland. But the idea failed to gain support in Congress.”
According to Putin, U.S. ambitions regarding Greenland are serious, and it is clear, he said, that Washington intends to advance its military and strategic interests in the Arctic.
He also noted that international cooperation in the region is “going through a difficult period.” Still, he said, Russia supports equitable collaboration in the Arctic. “We are ready to work together not only with Arctic states but with all who, like us, share responsibility for the planet’s stable and sustainable future — and who are capable of making balanced decisions with decades in mind,” he added.
President Trump has, since his first term in office, repeatedly said that Greenland should become part of the United States. He has called “ownership and control” of Greenland an “absolute necessity” for U.S. national security and has not ruled out the use of economic or military pressure to gain control over the island. Following such statements, Denmark increased its defense spending in Greenland.
