(Dan Tri) - A senior Russian official believes that the US could use the world's largest island, Greenland, to prepare for an attack on Russia.
Chairman of the Russian State Duma Defense Committee Andrey Kartapolov (Photo: Sputnik).
In an interview with RIA Novosti , when asked whether US control of Greenland posed a "military threat" to Russia, Russian State Duma Defense Committee Chairman Andrey Kartapolov replied: "Obviously."
“Greenland is a very large Arctic territory and gives direct access to the North Pole, so for us it is not a good thing,” said Mr. Kartapolov.
The Russian official argued that the island could serve as a “good springboard for the US in a hypothetical future intercontinental clash.”
In recent statements, US President-elect Donald Trump mentioned a series of other controversial ideas such as the US buying the world's largest island Greenland, turning Canada into the 51st state and regaining control of the Panama Canal.
Mr Trump has signalled that he does not rule out using economic or military pressure to make these ideas a reality.
Mr Trump called the purchase of Greenland “an absolute necessity” for US national security. At a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida earlier this week, he stressed that the US needed Greenland and the Panama Canal for “economic security”.
His "America First" policy appears to be taking a more expansive stance, which has sparked global backlash ahead of his inauguration on January 20.
Danish officials have ruled out the sale of the world's largest island. "Greenland is not for sale and will not be sold in the future," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said.
Location of Greenland (Photo: Britannica).
Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark with a population of just 57,000, is rich in mineral, oil and natural gas resources. However, the island's economy depends on fishing and annual subsidies from Denmark, so it has grown relatively slowly.
Greenland's capital Nuuk is closer to New York than Denmark's capital Copenhagen. Mr Trump said "it is absolutely necessary to own and control Greenland".
The acquisition of the Arctic island could risk competition between the US and Russia and China. Greenland's strategic location, between the Arctic and the Atlantic Ocean, along with its oil and gas resources, makes it an area of great strategic value.
The US maintains a permanent military presence at Pituffik Air Base in northwest Greenland. The acquisition of the territory could increase tensions with Russia and put the US in direct competition with China, which has increased its mining activities in the Arctic region in recent years.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was “interested in maintaining an atmosphere of peace and stability” in the region. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s senior aide Nikolay Patrushev warned last September that “military activity by NATO members in the Arctic increases the likelihood of conflict.”
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/quan-chuc-nga-my-co-the-su-dung-greenland-de-tan-cong-nga-20250110164948763.htm
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