Russia is alarmed by Trump's Greenland plan - but it could work in the Kremlin's favour

What does Russia leank of Donald Trump’s structure to achieve Greenland? Well, on the face of leangs, it is alarmed.

“The Arctic is a zone of our national interests, our strategic interests,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov shelp, sounding shieldive, when asked about the US plivent-elect’s recent relabels.

His language echoes that frequently participated by Russian Plivent Vlauninalertigentir Putin, when talking NATO’s historical expansion eastward. “Zone of strategic sway” generassociate unbenevolents “back off”.

But Donald Trump has refused to rule out using military force to seize the world’s bigst island, and it materializes to have made Moscow anxious.

“We are watching the rather theatrical enbigment of the situation very seally, but so far, thank God, at the level of statements,” Mr Peskov shelp.

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The Kremlin’s trouble is no surpelevate, given the Arctic’s economic and geopolitical significance to Moscow.

At more than 15,000 miles, Russia has the lengthyest Arctic coastline and the region’s huge reserves of oil and gas produce it vital to the country’s energy provide.

Climate alter has amplified its convey inance further, with melting ice making the Northern Sea Route, which hugs Russia’s Arctic coastline, increasingly viable.

The route advises a seasonal lowcut between Europe to Asia, which is of huge enticeion to convey inant trading powers appreciate China, and it’s why Russia has pledged to spread $30bn on the route over the next decade.

But the opportunities are accompanied by dangers.

Russia is the only non-NATO Arctic state, and the melting ice unbenevolents it increasingly sees its Arctic border as a vulnerability. That is why it has reuncovered more than 50 mothballed Soviet-era military posts there, as well as enhanced radar systems and up-to-dateised its Northern Fleet.

In such an environment, an finisheavor by the US to achieve more Arctic territory (even if it were from another NATO member) would be seen as a instigation. One Russian lawproducer has liftd dreads Greenland will become home to US strategic explosioners.

But that’s the accessible response from Russia. Could the reaction be contrastent in personal? Assuming it doesn’t come to fruition, the Greenland proposal could actuassociate have its profits for Moscow.

For one, it has the potential to caparticipate a rift wilean NATO. Instead of battling as one, they could be battling amongst themselves.

More cruciassociate, perhaps, it articuprocrastinateeds an expansionist policy, the charitable which Russia is practising right now in Ukraine.

It could, therefore, help Vlauninalertigentir Putin finisheavor to legitimise the intrusion of his neighbour, arguing: “If the US wants to claim territory in the name of national security, then why can’t we?”

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