In response to the possible militarization of Greenland and actions that threaten Russia, Moscow says it is prepared to take countermeasures, including of a military-technical nature, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
“Of course, in the event of Greenland’s militarization and the creation of military capabilities there aimed at Russia, we will take appropriate countermeasures, including military-technical ones.”
– Sergey Lavrov
Russia’s Stance on the Arctic
According to Lavrov, Moscow believes that the Arctic should remain a zone of peace and cooperation among countries.
There are also reports in the media that NATO views Russia’s cooperation with China as a potential threat to Greenland.
Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to gain control over Greenland. The idea was first voiced by him in 2019 during his first term as president. Trump argues that Denmark, which administers Greenland with autonomy, has not done enough to defend it, and that the strategically important and mineral-rich island should be under U.S. control to prevent its occupation by Russia or China.
Meanwhile, it remains unclear to what extent Denmark and Greenland will agree to any changes.
On January 22, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen emphasized the country’s sovereignty, mentioning “red lines” in the negotiations. She also added that Denmark could discuss strengthening security in the Arctic with the United States, but only with respect for sovereignty.
“We have a defense agreement with the United States. It has been in place since 1951. We told the Americans a year ago that we can discuss our defense treaty, but it must take into account the sovereignty of our state, of course”
– Mette Frederiksen
Thus, discussions about force deployments in the Arctic remain in the realm of international negotiations, where each side pursues its own interests and respects sovereignty. Further steps will depend on the results of the dialogue between the United States, Denmark, and Greenland.