Moscow exploits Greenland sovereignty debate to justify Ukraine territorial claims
Russia is closely monitoring the situation surrounding Greenland and the intentions of newly elected US President-elect Donald Trump to gain control over the island, stated Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary for the Russian ruler Vladimir Putin, according to UNIAN, citing Russian media.
In December 2024, Trump expressed claims over Greenland, stating that the US should take control of the island for national security and global freedom purposes. In response to this statement, Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte Egede said that the island is not for sale, emphasizing that the local people have long fought for their freedom.
“It is a matter of bilateral relations between the US and Denmark, but Moscow is closely watching the situation,” Peskov said.
He pointed out that if the fate of Greenland depends on the opinion of the island’s residents, one should also consider the opinions of people from “new regions of Russia,” meaning occupied territories of Ukraine.
“Respect must be shown for the views of people from the occupied territories of Ukraine,” he added.
Additionally, the Russian president’s press secretary stated during a conversation with journalists that Europe allegedly fears responding decisively to Trump’s statements regarding Greenland, so politicians are using cautious wording.
Furthermore, the pro-Kremlin news agency TASS reported that Peskov mentioned that “the Arctic is within Russia’s national and strategic interests,” commenting on US ambitions regarding Canada and Greenland.
Since 2017, Ukraine has documented 10,018 human rights violations in the temporarily occupied Crimea, with 6,730 involving Crimean Tatars.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has documented numerous abuses, including unlawful detentions, enforced disappearances, and torture, particularly targeting Crimean Tatars and pro-Ukrainian activists. This ongoing repression not only undermines the rights of Crimeans but also serves as a grim warning of potential future violations in other occupied territories.
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