Putin says Russia has no interest in US President Donald Trump’s push to acquire Greenland.
The remarks come as Denmark reacts sharply and NATO unity faces strain.
Putin cites past US territorial purchases, including Alaska and the Virgin Islands.
Putin On Trump’s Greenland Bid: ‘None Of Our Business’
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow is not concerned about US President Donald Trump’s push to acquire Greenland, as Denmark reacts and NATO unity comes under strain
Summary
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said Moscow has no interest in the controversy triggered by US President Donald Trump’s renewed push to acquire Greenland, as the issue unsettled Denmark and exposed strains within NATO, according to PTI.
Speaking during televised remarks at a late-night meeting of Russia’s National Security Council, Putin dismissed the matter as irrelevant to Russia. “What happens to Greenland is none of our business,” he said, PTI reported. He added that Denmark and the United States would resolve the issue on their own. “It certainly doesn't concern us. I think they'll sort it out among themselves,” Putin said.
At the same time, Putin offered a historical aside on Denmark’s relationship with Greenland, saying, “Incidentally, Denmark has always treated Greenland as a colony and has been quite harsh, if not cruel, towards it. But that's a different matter entirely, and I doubt anyone's interested in it right now,” according to PTI.
Putin also referred to past territorial transactions involving the United States to place the debate in a broader historical context. He recalled that Denmark sold the Virgin Islands to the US in 1917, PTI reported that Russia itself sold Alaska to the United States in 1867 for USD 7.2 million.
(With inputs from PTI)
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