Politics

Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, suggested that the people of Greenland might hold a vote to join Russia if U.S. President Donald Trump does not act quickly. According to Interfax, Medvedev warned that a referendum could happen in just a few days, allowing the population of about 55,000 Greenlanders to decide on joining Russia. He stated, “Trump needs to hurry. If this happens, there will be no new stars on the (U.S.) flag.” Trump has recently renewed his interest in having the United States take control of Greenland, which is a self-governing territory of Denmark. He believes that owning Greenland is important for U.S. national security to counter Russia. The U.S. President argues that the island's location and resources make it essential, which has drawn strong objections from both Denmark and Greenland. Although Russia does not claim Greenland, it has been closely observing the island's strategic importance in Arctic security due to its location along North Atlantic routes and the presence of a significant U.S. military and space surveillance base there. The Kremlin has yet to respond to Trump's renewed interest, but they have previously described the Arctic as an area of national and strategic importance for Russia. Last year, they indicated that they were closely watching the ongoing discussions about Greenland, which have become quite dramatic. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022 has disrupted much of the cooperation in the Arctic. As climate change opens new pathways and resource opportunities, competition in the region is increasing.