‘Not Our Concern’: Putin Distances Russia From Trump’s Greenland Gambit

Russian President Putin declared Russia's neutrality regarding the US proposal to purchase Greenland, stating it is US and Denmark's matter. This official non-interference allows Moscow to benefit from the resulting friction within NATO and the West.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken a cautious but strategically telling stance on US President Donald Trump’s controversial bid to acquire Greenland, insisting that Moscow does not intend to involve itself in the dispute between Washington and Copenhagen even as the issue disrupts Western cohesion. 

Speaking at a meeting of Russia’s National Security Council, Putin made clear that the Greenland debate — sparked by Trump’s desire to bring the vast Arctic territory under US influence — is a matter for the United States and Denmark to resolve on their own. “What happens to Greenland is none of our business,” the Russian leader said, underlining his country’s decision to remain on the sidelines of the unfolding diplomatic drama.

Putin’s remarks, broadcast on Russian television, came amid rising tension within NATO and the European Union over Trump’s proposals, which included aggressive rhetoric about national security threats posed by Russia and China in the Arctic. Trump’s drilling down on Greenland has rattled allies and provoked debate over both alliance unity and broader geopolitical priorities, as Washington and Europe navigate divergent security concerns.

While distancing Moscow from the matter, Putin did not shy away from historical context. He drew a parallel with past territorial changes — notably the sale of Alaska by Russia to the United States in 1867 — in addressing the modern murmurs of land acquisition. Putin noted that such transactions historically reflected broader strategic interests, implicitly framing Trump’s Greenland ambitions as part of wider global power plays. He also reiterated earlier Russian criticism that Denmark had treated Greenland as a colonial possession, though he stressed that such historical grievances were tangential to the current dispute.

Putin’s public disavowal of direct involvement underscores a deliberate Russian diplomatic posture: to remain formally neutral while quietly benefiting from Western discord. Russian officials, state media, and pro-Kremlin analysts have responded to Trump’s Greenland gambit with a mixture of amusement, strategic optimism, and wariness, portraying the situation as potentially historic and as a sign of cracks within NATO and the transatlantic alliance. 

Some commentators suggest that the growing rift between the United States and its European allies — particularly in relation to Arctic policy and mutual defense — plays into Moscow’s long-standing narrative about Western decline and its own vision of a multipolar world order.

Indeed, rather than condemning Trump’s push, certain Russian voices have framed the US president’s territorial interest as reinforcing an era of great-power competition where geopolitical ambitions supersede traditional alliances. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, without taking a definitive moral stance, noted experts’ views that a successful US move on Greenland would become a moment of major historical significance — not just for American history but world history. This rhetorical approach allows Moscow to avoid direct intervention while projecting itself as a pundit of global affairs rather than a direct participant.

The broader reaction across Russian political and media spheres reflects a recognition that Trump’s Greenland controversy has broader implications for Western cohesion. Many analysts argue that the debate has diverted attention from Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, potentially easing international pressure on Moscow. Others view the tensions as weakening NATO’s united front, especially as key members grapple with diverging priorities. The Kremlin’s response — a blend of rhetorical support for Trump’s right to pursue the issue, historical contextualization, and declared neutrality — illustrates Russia’s nuanced approach to exploiting fractures within alliances rather than engaging directly in disputes that do not serve its immediate strategic interests.

Putin’s measured commentary also comes at a time when the Arctic’s strategic importance is rising amid climate change, natural resource competition, and military posturing. Russia, which has made significant investments in Arctic infrastructure and defense, is acutely aware of the region’s geopolitical weight. Yet, by distancing Moscow from the Greenland discussion, Putin ensures that Russia retains strategic flexibility without overtly escalating tensions or appearing to interfere in another nation’s territorial ambitions.

Trump’s handling of the Greenland issue — including threats earlier in the week to impose tariffs on NATO allies opposing his plan and his later attempt to frame the matter around Arctic security — has elicited varied international responses. While European leaders have expressed concern over the strain on alliance solidarity, Russia’s reaction emphasizes opportunistic calm. Putin’s declaration that Greenland’s fate is an internal Western affair resonates with Moscow’s broader diplomatic strategy: maintain leverage by staying at the periphery of conflicts that divide powerful adversaries while preserving its own geopolitical initiatives.

In sum, Putin’s reaction to Trump’s Greenland ambitions — framed as disinterested yet strategically calculated — underscores both the complexity of modern Arctic geopolitics and Russia’s sophisticated foreign policy playbook that seeks advantage in moments of Western friction.

(With inputs from agencies)