(MOSCOW) – Russia has expressed serious concern over NATO military deployments in Greenland, describing the presence as a challenge to its perceived interests in the Arctic. The statement was issued by the Russian Embassy in Belgium, where NATO is headquartered, and published late on Wednesday, January 15, 2026.
Greenland, a vast mineral-rich island in the Arctic, has become a focus of international attention after former US President Donald Trump threatened to assert American control over the territory. The Russian embassy accused NATO of increasing its military presence under what it called “false pretexts” of a growing threat from Moscow and Beijing.
The embassy’s statement suggested that NATO’s actions could disrupt regional stability and implied that Moscow views the deployments as a strategic provocation. It also highlighted Russia’s ongoing narrative that Western military alliances exaggerate threats to justify expanding their operations in areas traditionally outside their reach.
Experts note that Greenland’s strategic location has long attracted global interest due to its natural resources and position in the Arctic. The island is under Danish sovereignty, and local officials have repeatedly stated that Greenland is not for sale. Nevertheless, the Russian embassy framed NATO activity as part of a broader attempt to isolate Russia and expand Western influence in high-latitude regions.
