Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that US President Donald Trump’s push to acquire Greenland from Denmark is not a matter of concern for Moscow, describing it as an issue that should be settled strictly between Washington and Copenhagen. Speaking during a meeting of Russia’s Security Council, Putin said Russia does not see any reason to insert itself into what he characterised as a bilateral dispute, even though the proposal has unsettled European governments and sparked intense discussion within NATO.
Putin underlined this point by stating that Russia has no direct interests at stake in the Greenland question. He said that, from Moscow’s perspective, it is up to the United States and Denmark to negotiate and decide the outcome, adding that they would ultimately “figure it out among themselves” without Russian involvement.
Reflecting on historical precedents, Putin pointed out that the United States has a long record of expanding its territory through purchases, most notably the acquisition of Alaska from Russia in the 19th century. Drawing a parallel between that deal and the idea of buying Greenland, he suggested that such a transaction would not pose any serious financial challenge for Washington.
Putin went on to estimate that if Greenland were compared to Alaska in historical terms, the cost of acquiring the Arctic island would likely fall in the range of $200 million to $250 million. When adjusted to account for the value of gold at the time, he said the figure could rise to around $1 billion, but added that this amount would still be easily affordable for the United States.
At the same time, the Russian leader criticised Denmark’s historical relationship with Greenland, accusing Copenhagen of treating the territory as a colony. Putin alleged that Greenland had been governed harshly and unfairly, using language that suggested a pattern of colonial-era exploitation. Despite these remarks, he reiterated that Russia has no intention of taking sides or influencing the outcome of the dispute.
Trump had revived global attention on Greenland earlier while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he said the United States was interested in acquiring the territory but would not resort to military force to achieve that goal. His comments initially reignited tensions with European allies.
However, shortly after those remarks, Trump appeared to soften his position by stepping back from earlier threats of imposing tariffs linked to the Greenland issue. This shift followed a bilateral meeting with Mark Rutte on the sidelines of the Davos gathering, signalling a more cautious tone.
The Kremlin has continued to tread carefully in its public response. Earlier, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Trump’s proposal could carry significant historical implications, regardless of whether it complies with international law or proves politically viable. He suggested that a successful acquisition of Greenland could leave a lasting mark on global history.
Russian state media has echoed this view in even stronger terms. Government newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta likened the potential annexation of Greenland to major turning points in world history, comparing it to events such as Abraham Lincoln’s abolition of slavery or the sweeping territorial changes of the Napoleonic era. The paper argued that such a move could elevate Trump’s standing among America’s most consequential leaders.
Adding another controversial dimension, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov compared Trump’s interest in Greenland to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. Lavrov argued that just as Crimea is central to Russia’s security, Greenland holds comparable strategic importance for the United States, a comparison likely to provoke unease in Western capitals.
