Putin threatens US over Greenland ambition: ‘We will not allow encroachments’

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the US that it would not allow any “encroachments” by NATO in the Arctic as President Trump continues his “serious” quest to acquire Greenland.

Speaking before the Arctic Forum in Russia on Thursday, Putin said the world should not take Trump’s comments lightly and claimed Moscow would be ready to protect its interests in the Arctic if NATO nations expand their territory in the region.

“We will not allow encroachments on the sovereignty of our country and will reliably protect our national interests,” Putin said.

While the Russian strongman said that Greenland itself was not a concern, he claimed “NATO countries in general are increasingly designating the far north as a springboard for possible conflicts, practicing the use of troops in these conditions, including by their ‘new recruits,’ Finland and Sweden.”

Moscow has claimed parts of the Arctic as a zone of Russian strategic interest, with the region filled with rich fossil fuels and minerals beneath the land.

Trump has expressed interest in the natural resources, with the US not ruling out the use of military force to take over the autonomous territory, which also belongs to Denmark.

Putin said he is taking Trump’s words seriously, with Russia monitoring the situation and crafting a response plan, including bolstering its military capabilities in the Arctic.

The Russian president, however, claimed he was open to compromise, with the Kremlin calling on the US to join it in dividing up the natural resources for the two nations to share.

Control of the Arctic is also set to bolster Russia’s Northern Sea Route, which Putin said allows it to bypass Western sanctions and freely trade oil with China.

He also called for nuclear-powered icebreakers to be built to support an expansion of Russia’s northern ports, urging nations around the world to join the business venture and cash in on the returns.

“Now we need to create conditions for the growth of effective domestic operators that will engage in transporting containers of coal, bulk and other cargo through the Arctic. We are also open here to the creation of joint ventures,” Putin added.

Putin pitched the idea noting that his “partners” in Belarus, China, and the United Arab Emirates were interested in the project as a way to get ahead of America.

“It’s obvious that the United States will continue to systematically advance its geostrategic, military-political and economic interests in the Arctic,” he said.

With Post wires