Russia said on Thursday that it will continue strengthening its defense capabilities in the Arctic in response to threats linked to the situation around Greenland.
Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow stands with China and considers it "unacceptable" to use references to its "certain activities" in the Arctic region as a pretext for escalating tensions there.
"Our country will continue to firmly defend its positions in the region," she said. "We will continue our policy of strengthening national sovereignty in the Arctic zone. First of all, our own defense capabilities and infrastructure of the Northern Sea Route."
Zakharova noted that the US designated Greenland as "a sphere of US interests," with a groundless narrative of "a Russian threat."
"We agree with China's position on the unacceptability of references to certain Russian and Chinese activity around Greenland as a reason for the current escalation," she said. "We are also convinced that the emerging increase in tension in the Arctic region is a direct consequence of the North Atlantic Alliance's actions."
The spokeswoman urged that any differences regarding Greenland be resolved through negotiations in accordance with international law and with consideration for the interests of its population.
According to Zakharova, NATO has turned the Arctic region "into an arena of geopolitical competition" and is willing to use military means to bolster its positions.
"They themselves first invented the notion that there are some so-called aggressors, and then they themselves invented the idea that they are ready to protect someone from this alleged aggressor," she remarked.
Zakharova warned European capitals that any attempt to escalate tensions in the Arctic and create security threats for Russia, a full-fledged member of the Arctic community, would have serious consequences.
"It can be understood that any attempts to ignore Russia's interests in the Arctic, especially in the field of security, will not go unanswered and will have far-reaching consequences," she stressed.
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social that Washington needs control of Greenland for its planned Golden Dome air and missile defense system.
Greenland is part of Denmark as an autonomous territory. In 1951, Washington and Copenhagen, in addition to their NATO alliance commitments, signed a defense treaty. According to this treaty, the US undertook the obligation to defend the island from possible aggression.
