If the United States places a larger number of missile defense systems in Greenland, Russia will be forced to respond.
This was stated by Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Ryabkov, to the state-run Russian news agency RIA on Tuesday, writes the Reuters news agency.
- If a lot of American air defense systems are placed in Greenland, it will require measures from Russia, says Sergei Ryabkov.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that the US needs to "get" Greenland, as the US, according to him, needs to strengthen security in the Arctic region.
Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly denied that the United States could take over Greenland.
Nuclear weapons treaty expires
After Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (M) and Greenland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Vivian Motzfeldt, met in Washington, D.C. in January, a working group from both parties has been established.
The Danish government has also indicated its readiness to expand a 1951 defense agreement with the United States regarding Greenland.
A nuclear arms treaty between the United States and Russia expires on Thursday.
The New Start agreement, signed in 2010, sets limits on how many so-called strategic weapons the two superpowers can have pointed at each other's cities and bases.
The US has not responded.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that the two sides stick to the current restrictions for another year. But Donald Trump has not yet responded to that proposal.
Sergei Ryabkov reiterated on Tuesday that Russia is ready to extend the agreement, but has still not heard anything from the United States.
"The lack of an answer is also a kind of answer," the deputy foreign minister said, according to the state-owned Russian news agency Tass.
Sergei Ryabkov further says that Russia is ready for a new reality without restrictions on nuclear weapons.
/ritzau/
