Russian officials and pro-Kremlin voices have accused Western countries of militarizing the Arctic as U.S. President Donald Trump again signaled his intention to take control of Greenland. Moscow also mocked Europe’s ability to defend the mineral-rich island, which remains an autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty.
Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of seizing Greenland, calling it vital for his proposed Golden Dome air and missile defense system. However, Greenland and Denmark have strongly rejected the proposal. Meanwhile, the White House said Wednesday that if Washington failed to secure control of Greenland for national security reasons, Russia or China would do so instead.
Against this backdrop, Moscow said it viewed recent developments with “serious concern.” Russian officials accused Western states of escalating tensions as European military personnel began arriving on the island. Russia’s Embassy in Belgium, where NATO is headquartered, said the alliance was exploiting Trump’s remarks to promote what it called an anti-Russian and anti-Chinese agenda.
Europe steps up presence as tensions rise
The embassy claimed NATO had launched an accelerated militarization of the Arctic under what it described as fabricated threats from Moscow and Beijing. It added that European officials were already discussing plans to encircle Greenland and deploy a large collective landing force.
Denmark said Thursday that Washington’s ambition regarding Greenland remained unchanged following meetings between Danish, Greenlandic, and U.S. officials in Washington. At the same time, France, Sweden, Germany, and Norway announced plans to deploy military personnel to the island.
Greenland’s Deputy Prime Minister Mute Egede said NATO troops would become more visible through increased flights, ships, and training activities. Germany’s Defense Ministry said a joint reconnaissance mission aimed to assess security options amid perceived Russian and Chinese threats.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry insisted the Arctic should remain a region of peace and dialogue. Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova mocked the European Union, urging it to react to U.S. actions over Greenland as it did to Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.
Russia accuses West of Arctic militarization as Trump renews Greenland control push and Europe deploys forces
