Russia takes note of Trump’s dispute with NATO allies over Greenland as European troops head to Arctic for war exercises

Russia says geopolitical tensions in the Arctic are “the most serious concern” as European NATO members step up war drills in the region and Moscow seeks to highlight the disagreement between the Trump administration and its closest allies on the issue. Greenland.

“NATO has embarked on a path of accelerated militarization of the North, increasing its military presence there under the fictitious pretext of a growing threat from Moscow and Beijing,” the Russian embassy in Belgium said in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement went on to say that Russia advocates peace, cooperation and dialogue in the region, but that “NATO members show no willingness to resolve problems constructively.”

“The militaristic spirit within the alliance is only strengthening and given the disagreements that have emerged within the bloc over the Greenland issue, its ability to reach agreements is becoming increasingly unpredictable, including on Arctic issues,” the Russian embassy said. “We consider the alliance’s growing confrontational line in the Arctic to be counterproductive and extremely dangerous.”

The statement came as senior Trump administration officials met in Washington with Danish and Greenlandic officials to discuss Mr. Trump’s repeated vows to make the vast, largely frozen island part of the United States. The White House says the United States needs control of the resource-rich island, long a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, for security reasons, saying Russia and China would otherwise take control.

America’s European allies, and Greenland’s own governmentvehemently rejected the idea of ​​the United States taking control of the island, by any means, and argued that American ownership was not necessary for security reasons, as Greenland is already a NATO territory.

After the meeting, the Danish foreign minister said his country and the United States there were still “fundamental” differences on the future of Greenland, but he would continue to discuss.

European leaders, meanwhile, also sought to acknowledge Mr. Trump’s concerns about growing security threats around Greenland.

“Geopolitical tensions have spread to the Arctic,” the Danish Defense Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. “The Government of Greenland and the Danish Ministry of Defense have therefore decided to continue intensive exercises of the Danish Armed Forces in Greenland, in close cooperation with NATO allies.”

“The aim is to form the capacity to operate in the unique conditions of the Arctic and to strengthen the alliance’s footprint in the Arctic, benefiting both European and transatlantic security,” the ministry said.

“Don’t listen to Russian propaganda,” Lars-Christian Brask, vice chairman of the Danish Parliament’s foreign policy committee, told CBS News on Thursday, calling the meeting in Washington between U.S., European and Greenlandic officials positive, despite the lack of resolution on the issue.

“I think it’s positive that the obvious disagreement that exists between Denmark, Greenland and the United States is being brought into a platform, a high-level working group,” Brask said, calling it “a good way to continue to find out what we can do to resolve this situation.”

“It’s all about talking. It’s about communicating. It’s about trying to solve a problem that couldn’t be solved in an hour-long meeting yesterday,” Brask said.

Aaja Chemnitz, a Greenlandic member of the Danish Parliament, told CBS News on Thursday: “Many of us were worried that it would be the same as Zelensky when he was in the White Houseand so, looking at the whole situation, I think it was a success.”

“What I hear from home [in Greenland]what I also think is very important to emphasize is that children are concerned. They talk about their worries at school. We have seniors who don’t sleep because they are worried. I think everything that happened was offensive to us. I think some things have been terrible. And so, it’s important to remove the intensity. And a small part was taken out of yesterday’s meeting, but this is a marathon and not a short sprint, and we need to make sure that Greenland and Denmark remain as close an ally in this situation,” Chemnitz said.

Mr. Trump disparaged Denmark’s efforts to increase security in Greenland, saying in a social media post on Wednesday: “Two dog sleds won’t do it! Only the United States can!!!”

Denmark says it has invested nearly $14 billion in Arctic security and, ahead of military exercises in the region, its European partners also announced their investment in the island’s defense.

A small number of European soldiers arrived in Greenland on Thursday to take part in the upcoming exercises. Germany announced it would send 13 soldiers to Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. The Netherlands said it would work with NATO to conduct joint reconnaissance before the military exercise and would send an officer from its navy, and Finland said it would send two liaison officers.

A small group of French troops also arrived in Greenland, French President Emmanuel Macron said.

Speaking to the military in Istres, France, on Thursday, Macron said: “History forgives neither lack of preparation nor weakness.”

“Europeans have a special responsibility, because this territory [Greenland] belongs to the European Union… A first military team is already on the ground and will be reinforced in the coming days by land, air and sea means,” Macron said.

Macron said France must play the role of “being available in the face of the threat, knowing how to adapt and being alongside a sovereign country to protect its territory.”