Russia on Thursday said it was unacceptable for the West to accuse Moscow and Beijing for the US claim on the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
“First they came up with the idea that there were some aggressors, and then that they were ready to protect someone from these aggressors,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, referring to West’s actions on Greenland.
Her remarks came as US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly reiterated his interest and intent to acquire the Arctic island due to national security interests and mineral access, said that if the US doesn’t act on Greenland, Russia or China will.
“I have great respect for the people of China and Russia, but I do not want them as neighbours in Greenland; that is not going to happen,” Trump had earlier said.
What else did the Russian government say?
The current situation, Zakharova said, “demonstrates with particular acuteness the inconsistency of the so-called ‘rules-based world order’ being built by the West.”
“We stand in solidarity with China’s position on the unacceptability of references to certain activity of Russia and China around Greenland as a reason for the current escalation,” Zakharova added.
China, on the other hand, has said its activities in the Arctic are “in line with international law” and focus on “peace, stability, and sustainable development.” China’s Foreign Ministry emphasised that Arctic affairs concern the “common interests of the international community” and should not serve as a stage for great-power coercion.
What is the current situation in Greenland?
Greenland’s government and Denmark firmly reject any US takeover or annexation, insisting the island remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark and will be defended under NATO, and not handed over to the United States.
Talks held at the White House between US, Danish, and Greenlandic officials ended without agreement, with a “fundamental disagreement” still in place over the future of Greenland.
A bipartisan group of US senators have also introduced legislation to block any attempt by President Trump to seize or annex Greenland, aiming to bar funding for such a move.