MOSCOW: President of Russia Vladimir Putin has said that ownership of Greenland is not Moscow’s concern, adding that the US and Denmark should resolve the issue themselves.
US President Donald Trump’s push to acquire Greenland has deepened divisions between Washington and its European allies, despite the potential implications for Russia, which already maintains a significant presence in the Arctic.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, Trump stepped back from earlier threats to impose tariffs as leverage to secure Greenland and ruled out the use of military force.
He indicated that progress was being made toward resolving the dispute over the semi-autonomous Danish territory, a standoff that had threatened the most serious strain in transatlantic relations in decades.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, addressing the issue publicly for the first time, signalled that Moscow would not oppose Trump’s efforts to gain control of Greenland, suggesting that the territory could be worth nearly $1 billion.
“What happens in Greenland is of no concern to us whatsoever,” Putin told a meeting of Russia’s Security Council.
“Incidentally, Denmark has always treated Greenland as a colony and has been quite harsh, if not cruel, towards it. But that is a different matter altogether, and hardly anyone is interested in it now,” Putin added.
Denmark’s financial and military support for Ukraine has drawn criticism from Russia, which is seeking to consolidate control over four Ukrainian regions it claimed in 2022.
Russia’s foreign ministry has pushed back against President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Moscow harbours ambitions regarding Greenland.
However, it has been careful to avoid direct criticism of Trump, who is attempting to broker a deal to end the war in Ukraine, and has signalled some understanding of his position.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that the vast, resource-rich island — which already hosts a US military presence — was not “a natural part” of Denmark.
President Vladimir Putin also pointed to historical precedents, recalling that Russia sold Alaska to the United States for $7.2 million in 1867 and that Denmark sold the Virgin Islands to Washington in 1917.
Using the Alaska sale price, adjusted for inflation, Greenland’s larger size, and changes in gold prices, Putin estimated that purchasing Greenland from Denmark could cost around $1 billion — a sum he suggested the United States could afford.
“I think they will sort it out between themselves,” said Putin.
