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By Brendan Cole
Senior Reporter
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The fate of Greenland "doesn't concern us" Russian President Vladimir Putin said, distancing Moscow from a geopolitical spat between the U.S. and the West.
In a meeting of Russia's Security Council on Wednesday, Putin said, "What happens to Greenland is none of our business."
Why It Matters
At the International Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his determination for Greenland to be part of the United States, albeit indicating that he would not use force to acquire the territory.
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Putin's rhetoric has been cautious regarding Trump's attempts to acquire Greenland, an autonomous island that is part of the Danish Kingdom, despite the U.S. president citing the security threat posed by Russia as a reason for the acquisition.
Moscow's reaction could be seen as a strategy to exploit the crisis weakening Western unity and keep the U.S. focused away from the war in Ukraine as it seeks concessions from Washington-led attempts at a ceasefire.
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What To Know
In his remarks, Putin said Denmark had "always treated Greenland as a colony and has been quite harsh, if not cruel, toward it."
The Russian president also referred to a historic deal between Washington and Copenhagen in 1917, when Denmark sold the Virgin Islands to the United States.
Trump, meanwhile, told the forum at Davos that he wanted to "get Greenland" and disparaged European allies, saying NATO should not try to block U.S. expansionism.
The U.S. acquisition of Greenland would have security implications for Russia, which has tried to assert its influence over the Arctic region where it has a major military presence.
However, while Kremlin propagandists have delighted in the friction Trump's rhetoric has caused, Moscow has maintained its distance from the issue as it tries to get a favorable outcome in the Trump-led effort to end the war in Ukraine, which Putin started with a full-scale invasion in 2022 after annexing Crimea in 2014.
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for Putin, said earlier this week that experts agreed that if Trump took Greenland, it would "go down in history."
What People Are Saying
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday of U.S. President Donald Trump's push to acquire Greenland: "It certainly doesn't concern us. I think they'll sort it out among themselves."
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for Putin, said on Monday: "Regardless of whether it's good or bad and whether it complies with international law or not, there are international experts who believe that if Trump takes control of Greenland he will go down in history."
What Happens Next
Trump announced on social media that he and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte had "formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland." Russia is likely to refrain from criticizing or welcoming Trump's move as Moscow continues its war on Ukraine.
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