Speaking from the Arctic as Vice President JD Vance prepared for his trip to Greenland to assess U.S. security concerns, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Washington’s ambitions for the Arctic nation had ‘nothing to do’ with Russia.
‘In short, America’s plans in relation to Greenland are serious,’ Putin said Thursday during an address to Russia’s Arctic Forum in Murmansk.
‘These plans have deep historical roots,’ he continued, according to a BBC report. ‘And it’s clear that the US will continue to systematically pursue its geo-strategic, military-political and economic interests in the Arctic.
‘As for Greenland, this is a matter for two specific countries,’ he added. ‘It has nothing to do with us.’
Putin’s comments coincided with remarks by President Donald Trump, who on Thursday doubled down on his ambitions for the Arctic nation despite international rebuke, and said, ‘We need Greenland for international safety and security. We need it. We have to have it.’
‘It’s [an] island from a defensive posture and even offensive posture is something we need,’ he told radio host Vince Coglianese. ‘When you look at the ships going up their shore by the hundreds, it’s a busy place.’
Trump acknowledged he was unsure if the people of Greenland wanted to become U.S. citizens, but he said it was important to ‘convince them.’
Greenland’s citizens and leadership have repeatedly made clear they are not interested in becoming a part of the U.S. and are seeking full independence from Denmark.
It is unclear if the vice president will be advancing Trump’s message while visiting the U.S.’ Pituffik Space Force base in northwest Greenland, but Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, quickly changed their itinerary earlier this week upon announcing the planned trip after Greenland’s leaders made clear the Vance’s were not issued an invitation – sparking a diplomatic uproar.
However, as Trump claims the Arctic nation is needed for U.S. security, Russian officials are now touting the idea that Washington and Moscow could expand economic cooperation in the Arctic.
‘We are open to considering different investment opportunities that we can do jointly with the U.S., in certain sectors approved by the Russian government,’ Putin’s envoy for foreign investment and economic cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev, said according to the BBC report, which also noted the Kremlin official has already been in ‘direct talks’ with the U.S.
‘We are open for investment cooperation in the Arctic. That could be in logistics, or other areas beneficial to Russia and to the U.S.,’ Dmitriev added. ‘But before deals can be done, the war in Ukraine needs to end.’
Russia has stalled U.S. attempts to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine by laying out conditions European nations have made clear they will not agree to, like lifting sanctions and booting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from office – which security experts have long warned is Putin’s chief aim to cement control over the former Soviet nation.
Putin reiterated this goal during his address from the Arctic and said, ‘We could, of course, discuss with the United States, even with European countries, and of course with our partners and friends, under the auspices of the UN, the possibility of establishing a transitional administration in Ukraine.’
It remains highly unlikely Ukraine or its European partners, including France and the U.K. who sit on the UN Security Council, will agree to Putin’s conditions.
Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.