Putin says Greenland’s ownership not Russia’s concern, suggests island could be worth $1bn
“What happens in Greenland is of no concern to us whatsoever,” Putin told a meeting of Russia’s Security Council.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that the question of who owns Greenland is of no concern to Russia, adding that the issue should be resolved between the United States and Denmark.
Moscow has watched closely as US President Donald Trump's push to acquire Greenland has widened tensions between Washington and Europe, even though the move could have implications for Russia, which maintains a strong presence in the Arctic.
Speaking in Davos on Wednesday, Trump stepped back from earlier threats to impose tariffs as leverage to seize Greenland and ruled out the use of force. He suggested progress towards a deal to resolve the dispute over the semi-autonomous Danish territory, which had threatened the deepest rupture in transatlantic relations in decades.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Addressing the issue publicly for the first time, Putin signalled that Russia would not oppose Trump's bid to gain control of Greenland, speculating that the island could be worth nearly $1 billion.
"What happens in Greenland is of no concern to us whatsoever," Putin told a meeting of Russia's Security Council.
He also criticised Denmark's historical treatment of Greenland, saying it had long been treated as a colony. "Denmark has always treated Greenland quite harshly, if not cruelly. But that is a separate matter, and hardly anyone is interested in it now," he added.
Denmark's financial and military support for Ukraine has angered Moscow, which has been fighting to take control of four Ukrainian regions it claimed in 2022.
Russia's foreign ministry has rejected suggestions by Trump that Moscow harbours ambitions over Greenland, while avoiding direct criticism of the US president, who is attempting to broker a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier that Greenland, despite its existing US military presence, was not "a natural part" of Denmark.
Putin cited historical precedents, recalling that Russia sold Alaska to the United States in 1867 for $7.2 million, while Denmark sold the Virgin Islands to Washington in 1917.
Adjusting the Alaska sale price for inflation, Greenland's larger size and changes in gold prices, Putin estimated that purchasing Greenland from Denmark could cost around $1 billion, adding that the United States could afford it.
"I think they will sort it out between themselves," Putin said
