Russia threatens to take control of Greenland – ‘Europe will s*** their pants’ | World | News

Russian officials and pro-Kremlin figures have accused the West of “militarizing” the Arctic and ridiculed what they described as Europe’s inability to defend Greenland as U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his intention to take control of the mineral-rich Arctic island.

After Donald Trump said several times the US needs Greenland, claiming it was vital for security reasons, the White House said Wednesday that if the U.S. failed to gain control of the Arctic state, “Russia or China will do so instead.

Pro-Kremlin media tycoon Konstantin Malofeyev claimed that only Russia could “save” Greenland from a U.S. takeover, suggesting that Denmark’s allies would likely fail to help. “Only Russia can stop this. To save Greenland, Europe and a multipolar world,” he said, quoted by The Moscow Times.

The online newspaper also said Russia’s Embassy in Belgium, where NATO is headquartered, said the alliance was using Trump’s statements “solely to advance an anti-Russian and anti-Chinese agenda”.

“NATO has embarked on a course of accelerated militarisation of the Arctic, increasing its military presence there under the fabricated pretext of a growing threat from Moscow and Beijing,” the embassy said in a statement late Wednesday.

Former Russian President and Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev also hinted that Russia could take Greenland, adding that Greenlanders might hold a referendum to join Russia if Trump waited too long.

“According to unverified information, a sudden referendum may take place.”

He also mocked Europe’s ability to defend Greenland, asking sarcastically: “What [will they] do?! … Nuke the U.S.?”

“They’ll just s*** their pants and give up Greenland. And that would be a great European precedent.”

It added that European officials were already discussing plans to surround the island and deploy a large-scale collective landing force, accusing them of invoking “mythical threats that they themselves have created”. The UK has sent a military officer to Greenland as Denmark steps up its military presence in the Arctic and High North, amid repeated calls by Donald Trump for the US to assume control of the territory.

Denmark’s defence minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, said on Wednesday an upcoming joint operation would involve several allied countries, warning that “no one can predict what will happen tomorrow”. Downing Street confirmed one UK military officer had been sent at Denmark’s request to join a reconnaissance group ahead of a planned Arctic Endurance exercise, but denied it amounted to a “deployment”. Germany, Sweden, Norway, and France also confirmed they would send personnel to the joint mission.

Greenland’s energy minister Naaja Nathanielsen recently told a press conference in Westminster that US military action would represent “the breakdown of the rule of law” and leave Western allies having to “figure out what is this new world order about”.

She said: “We feel that the rhetoric is offensive, as we have said many times before, but also bewildering because we have done nothing but support the notion that Greenland is a part of the American national self-interest.”

Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen of Greenland said he would rather remain part of Denmark than join the US.