According to Vladimir Barbin, the Russian Ambassador to Denmark, Washington is planning a significant military expansion in the Danish territory of Greenland.
Citing RIA Novosti, Ambassador Barbin stated that the US is constructing airfield infrastructure in Greenland to potentially house fighter jets with nuclear capabilities.
This follows President-elect Trump’s repeated desire to purchase Greenland from Denmark, even suggesting the use of economic pressure or military action to achieve this.
Barbin highlighted the US Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base) on Greenland’s northwest coast, a key component of the US’s Arctic nuclear early warning system.
“A major modernization is underway, including billions of dollars in radar system upgrades. Airfield infrastructure is also being developed for F-35 fighter jets, capable of carrying nuclear weapons,” the ambassador explained, noting that the base has already hosted these jets during US Air Force exercises.
Barbin emphasized Russia’s commitment to “strengthening stability” in the Arctic, achievable only through a security system that treats all Arctic states equally.
He criticized Trump’s approach towards Greenland, viewing it as detrimental to regional stability and dialogue.
Barbin cautioned that Russia will factor Trump’s stance into its defense planning.
Trump previously proposed buying Greenland in 2019. This week at Mar-a-Lago, he again refused to rule out economic sanctions or military force to acquire the territory, citing US national security interests.
He has also suggested the US should annex Canada and regain control of the Panama Canal.
Danish and Greenlandic officials have firmly rejected the idea of selling the island. “Greenland is not for sale and will not be in the future either,” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated this week.