- President Donald Trump’s repeated curiosity in taking management of Greenland has not gone unnoticed in Russia. Throughout a Thursday speech, Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned he thought of the U.S. curiosity in Greenland to be severe, pointing to previous efforts to accumulate the territory. Greenland has large deposits of uncommon minerals which can be essential to international provide chains, which the Trump administration sees as very important to U.S. pursuits.
Russian President Vladimir Putin cautioned towards taking the Trump administration’s newly declared push for taking up Greenland evenly.
In a speech within the Arctic Circle metropolis of Murmansk, which lies within the northwestern nook of Russia, 110 miles from the Finnish border, Putin mentioned he was taking President Donald Trump’s efforts to declare Greenland for the U.S. critically.
“It can surprise someone only at first glance,” Putin mentioned, in accordance with an English translation of the speech by state-owned media. “It is a profound mistake to treat it as some preposterous talk by the new U.S. administration. Nothing of the sort.”
Since taking workplace two months in the past, Trump has made clear he’s eyeing U.S. territorial growth by annexing Greenland. Trump pointed to Greenland’s wealthy, however untapped mineral deposits as a motive for why controlling the territory was very important to the U.S.’s nationwide curiosity.
The federal government of Greenland, which is an autonomous area of Denmark, has adamantly rejected any notion that it will develop into a part of the U.S. Each political leaders and residents have mentioned they haven’t any intention of becoming a member of the U.S. Whereas Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredriksen mentioned the island was “not for sale,” and that Trump’s curiosity in Greenland was “not a joke.”
Greenland has 25 of 34 “critical raw materials,” in accordance with a 2023 report from the European Fee. Amongst these deposits are uncommon earth and graphite, that are essential for the manufacturing of EVs. Different uncommon and extremely coveted uncooked supplies embody titanium, tungsten, and uranium, that are utilized in every part from medical units to mild bulb filaments to nuclear gas. At present, the worldwide marketplace for these supplies is dominated by China, which has deep reserves of them inside its borders. If the U.S. have been to regulate Greenland’s essential sources, it will have its personal entry to them, thus breaking its reliance on Chinese language mining.
Greenland additionally has unmined provides of beneficial commodities like gold and diamonds.
On Thursday, forward of Vice President JD Vance’s go to to Greenland, Trump reiterated his want to take the island.
“We’ll go as far as we have to go,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “We need Greenland.”
Greenland’s geographic positioning between North America and Europe additionally makes it an important commerce route between the western and japanese hemispheres. Delivery routes to Asia and Europe by way of the Arctic are about 40% shorter than by way of different strategies such because the Suez and Panama canals, in accordance to the U.S. Naval Institute, although it cautions shorter transport routes doesn’t essentially equate to quicker or cheaper transport. Touring by way of the Arctic is extra cumbersome as a result of cargo ships want icebreakers and crews must be specifically educated for the frigid climates.
Russia, which controls extra territory within the Arctic Circle than another nation, sees that a part of the world as essential for its personal nationwide pursuits for a similar causes. In his speech, Putin referenced Russia’s want for commerce routes by way of the Arctic and its function as a essential hub of oil and pure fuel manufacturing. In recent times, Putin has develop into more and more involved of what he considers to be the West’s encroachment on Russia’s affect within the Arctic. He was notably pissed off when Finland and Sweden joined NATO in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Russia, which shares an 800-mile border with Finland, known as the latter’s admittance to NATO a mistake.
“The role and importance of the Arctic for Russia and for the entire world are obviously growing,” Putin mentioned. “Regrettably, the geopolitical competition and fighting for positions in this region are also escalating.”
As a result of Arctic Circle’s rising significance in international geopolitics, Putin was unsurprised the U.S. was angling for extra affect within the area.
“The United States has serious plans regarding Greenland,” Putin mentioned in his speech. “These plans have long historical roots … and it is obvious that the United States will continue to consistently advance its geo-strategic, military-political and economic interests in the Arctic.”
The U.S. first took curiosity in buying Greenland in 1867. Shortly after finishing the acquisition of Alaska from the Russian Empire, then-Secretary of State William Seward set his sights on buying Greenland from Denmark. The 2 nations by no means reached an settlement. Later, after World Struggle II, President Harry Truman provided Denmark $100 million in gold and a portion of Alaskan oil. That provide was rebuffed.
Throughout World Struggle II, the U.S. had a number of army bases on Greenland that surveilled the Axis powers and have been meant to be a primary line of protection towards any potential westward growth on their behalf. The U.S. continues to keep up bases in Greenland.
Putin alluded to the chance that if the U.S. have been to take management of Greenland, it will escalate tensions with Russia. He accused NATO nations of utilizing the Arctic as a “springboard for possible conflicts.”
This story was initially featured on Fortune.com
