War for Arctic, Antarctic: diplomat on Trump's statements on Greenland

He said this on Espreso TV.

"As for geopolitical intentions, annexations, and expansions, this is currently being written about by global media. It is worth emphasizing that, starting from 1867, if I am not mistaken, the topic of Greenland first appeared in the speeches of various U.S. presidents, most of whom were Republicans. We know that World War II ended with the establishment of U.S. security spheres on Greenland's territory, meaning both military and aerospace bases, although everyone only talks about Denmark's sled infantry on Greenland," noted Roman Bezsmertnyi.

According to him, Donald Trump has not raised the issue of Greenland for the first time; he had already spoken about it in 2016 and 2017, but the situation was different for the U.S. back then.

"During Trump's first term, he was briefed that a war for the Arctic and Antarctica was already underway, as these directions cannot be separated. The key to the Arctic lies in answering the question of who owns it. As we remember, the answer to this question was always shaped in Moscow. This was first stated when Putin came to power. By the early 2010s, it became clear that the Kremlin intended to lay its hands on the Arctic, essentially starting a war for the region. At that time, for the first time in U.S. history, several documents were signed, aimed at creating an icebreaker Arctic fleet and constructing submarines," the diplomat commented.

In his opinion, these programs might later shape what could potentially be called the U.S. Arctic fleet, as Russia, along with China, is also advancing in this direction, possessing a similar icebreaker fleet of over 50 units.

"Currently, the U.S. has established negotiation groups to conduct talks with the Danish government and Greenland's self-governing authorities. However, I wouldn’t focus on Donald Trump’s particular communication style, as the issue of Arctic security is closely related to Ukraine's security. Ukraine's recent actions have demonstrated the critical need for the U.S. and Ukraine to be united. For example, this pertains to our drone strikes on Russia's Olenya base, which is a key unit for both the Russian northern fleet and China's fleet in terms of fuel and lubricants supplies," Bezsmertnyi concluded.

• During his first term, Trump announced that he was considering the possibility of the U.S. purchasing Greenland and canceled a state visit to Denmark after Danish officials stated that the autonomous territory, which is part of the kingdom, was not for sale.  
• On December 22, Trump once again declared U.S. intentions to control Greenland: "For the sake of national security and freedom worldwide, the United States of America considers ownership and control of Greenland to be an absolute necessity."  
• Prime Minister Múte Egede stated that Greenland cannot be purchased. "Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and never will be. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom," he said.  
• Following this, Denmark's Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen announced that the country would increase defense spending on the island. Poulsen called the announcement "ironic," as Trump claimed that ownership and control of Greenland were an "absolute necessity" for the U.S.  
• On January 6, the King of Denmark altered the royal coat of arms, making the symbols of Greenland and the Faroe Islands more prominent, which was seen as a rebuke to Donald Trump's claims over Greenland.