Greenland: Russia's Perfect Answer to the Ukraine Issue
Soon after the U.S. president alluded to potential dangers from Russia and proposed the idea of acquiring Greenland, he extended an invitation for Russia's president to become part of his Peace Board. This left many people feeling quite confused and taken aback.
Yet, from the perspective of Russia, this turn of events has been anything but confusing. In the midst of these surprising developments, Russia's reaction to the U.S. president's interest in Greenland has been just as bewildering. Officials from the Kremlin have been expressing a mix of pretended concern for the inhabitants of the Arctic island and blatant support for the U.S. president's intentions.
This seeming contradiction could be part of a well-thought-out plan: capitalizing on the crisis to destabilize Western alliance, while keeping the U.S. president's attention elsewhere.
A Strategic Move
Ever since the U.S. president took the Venezuelan President into custody and hinted at interfering in Iran, there is an impression that Russia has momentarily put its other global aspirations on hold. This includes their interests in the Arctic, all to ensure Washington remains supportive on the topic of Ukraine. At the same time, it seems Russia is banking on the Greenland issue to create a rift in NATO and further isolate Ukraine's key allies.
"This is an occurrence nobody could have predicted," stated the Russian Foreign Minister with a tinge of sarcasm during a press conference, hinting at the dwindling chances of NATO's survival as a solidified Western military-political entity.
The panic surrounding Greenland has already proven beneficial for the Kremlin, as it has pushed Ukraine out of the primary discussions in an international forum. This has led European leaders to hastily gather in an Alpine town in an attempt to defuse the situation.
A political analyst with strong Kremlin ties referred to Greenland as the "perfect solution" in one of his social media posts.
Potential Fallout
The analyst continued, stating that the escalating tensions between Europe and the U.S. could potentially lead to the dissolution of NATO. "This would then compel the EU to halt its conflict with Russia," he added.
After years of criticizing the "united West", those in favor of the Kremlin are now hinting that the country can sit back and watch as their adversaries falter.
"Our main objective is to let them fight amongst themselves," voiced a popular political commentator on a talk show, clearly taking pleasure in the thought.
During his press conference, the Russian Foreign Minister took a moment to subtly provoke his counterparts. He refuted any suggestions that Russia has designs on Greenland, and went on to compare the island's significance to U.S. security to that of Crimea's importance to Russia. This was a clear reference to the Ukrainian peninsula that Russia took over in 2014, sparking an ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
"Greenland isn't exactly a part of Denmark, correct?" he questioned. "It's a colonial acquisition. While it's true that the inhabitants have grown accustomed to living there and are comfortable, it doesn't negate the fact that it was a former colony. This is becoming a major issue."
While dismissing any notion that it poses a military threat to Denmark, Russia has been careful not to criticize the U.S. president. Instead, they have described his actions as "historic."