Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin. PHOTO: RIA Novosti / WillWest News / Profimedia
Russian Security Council Vice President Dmitry Medvedev has claimed that Greenland's residents could vote to join Russia if US President Donald Trump does not act quickly to secure control of the Arctic island, according to Interfax, reported by Reuters.
“Trump needs to hurry. According to unconfirmed information, a surprise referendum could be held in a few days, in which the entire population of Greenland, numbering 55,000 people, could vote to join Russia,” said the former Russian president, now Vladimir Putin's deputy in Russia's Security Council.
“And then it's over. There will be no more stars on the (US) flag,” he added.
“We must be prepared for a direct confrontation with Trump.” What options does Europe actually have to protect Greenland in the face of the increasingly aggressive US stance
Trump has renewed his push for the United States to take control of Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, arguing that Washington needs to hold it to deter Russia.
The US president has said that Greenland's position and resources make it vital to national security, prompting strong objections from Denmark and Greenland.
“We don't want to be American,” Greenland's parties reiterated in a joint statement Friday night, after Donald Trump said the United States would use the “soft method” or the “hard method” to acquire the huge Arctic island.
Although Russia does not claim Greenland, it has long monitored the island's strategic role in Arctic security, given its position on North Atlantic routes and the presence there of a major US military and space surveillance base.
The Kremlin has not commented on Trump's new initiative but, calling the Arctic an area of national and strategic interest to Russia, said last year it was closely following the “rather dramatic” debate over Greenland.
NATO countries are discussing the next steps to collectively keep the Arctic safe, Alliance chief Mark Rutte said on Monday.
