Russia says it is closely monitoring the situation in Greenland after US President-elect Donald Trump's refusal to rule out military or economic measures to take control of the territory from Denmark.
"We are observing this rather dramatic development of the situation, but so far, thank God, it remains at the level of statements," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday.
"The Arctic area is an area of our national and strategic interests. We are present in the Arctic area and will continue to be there," added Mr. Peskov.
The vast territory of Greenland, most of which lies above the Arctic Circle, has officially been part of Denmark since 1953, although the island has its own government.
National security
Asked at a news conference in Florida on Tuesday, Mr Trump said the United States needs Greenland for security purposes and he refused to rule out using economic or military means to achieve that goal.
"People really don't even know if Denmark has any legal right to control Greenland. But if they do, they should give it up because we need it for national security purposes. This is for the free world. I'm I speak for the protection of the free world," said Mr. Trump.
"You have Chinese ships everywhere. You have Russian ships everywhere. We will not allow that," he added.
Like much of the Arctic, Greenland is warming rapidly. This is changing the geopolitics of the region, says Liana Fiks, an analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations.
"The Arctic is increasingly becoming an area of great power competition and rivalry. The United States is worried that it is losing this game," says expert Fix.
"Access to the Arctic is becoming easier, both for trade in goods and for critical minerals, especially rare minerals," says analyst Fix. "And it's also becoming an increasingly militarized area," she added, noting that Russia is cooperating with the Chinese navy in the region.
It is not for sale
Denmark has made it clear that Greenland is not for sale. Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen rejected the suggestion that Mr Trump's comments represented a foreign policy crisis for his government.
"I see a president who is on his way to the White House, who has increased interest in the Arctic. I can understand that. The Danish side also has this interest and we also have it within NATO," said Mr. Rasmussen on Wednesday.
Denmark faces a dilemma, says Fix expert.
"It is very clear for Denmark as well that increased cooperation with the United States, both for investments in Greenland, but also for military cooperation, would really be in everyone's interest," Ms. Fix told VOA.
Some European leaders criticized Mr Trump's comments, although most of them did not directly criticize the incoming President of the United States.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that fundamental Western values are at risk.
"The principle of inviolability of borders applies to every country, regardless of whether it is in the east or west of our country," he said.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot was more direct. "There is no doubt that the European Union would not tolerate any country in the world, whoever it is, and let me say starting with Russia, to attack our sovereign borders," he said on Wednesday.
Independence of Greenland
Greenland's government, meanwhile, is increasing pressure to hold a referendum on full independence and has said that only the people will decide on Greenland's future.
"Greenland is on its way to a new era and a new year in which it is at the center of the world's attention. The people of Greenland are united, no matter where they live. We must be united to be ready for a new future", said Prime Minister Mute Egede during a trip to Copenhagen on Thursday. /VOA (A2 Televizion)
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