Russia Warns of Military Response if US Deploys Weapons or Missile Defences in Greenland

Beijing: Russia warns of military action if the US moves to deploy forces in Greenland, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said. He made the comment while speaking at a press conference at the Russian Embassy in China on Tuesday, Russian news agency TASS reported.

“If US opt to pump some weapons systems to the region or deploy certain elements of their Golden Dome concept, it will be a situation that would require military and technical compensatory measures, and our specialists will be quite ready to take them,” Ryabkov said.

The warning comes just two days before the expiration of the New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms control pact between US and Russia in 2010. The treaty limits the number of deployable nuclear delivery vehicles for both countries.

His comments came in the backdrop of the US President Donald Trump’s remarks last month that discussions were being held about the Golden Dome – US’s proposed missile defence program, similar to the Israel's Iron dome, intended to be completed by the end of Trump’s term in 2029 – “as it pertains to Greenland”.

Following his intervention in Venezuela, US President Donald Trump had repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland for national security reasons, but Denmark, Greenland, and other European allies strongly opposed the move. Trump had also threatened severe tariffs against countries that obstructed his plans.