Russia Warns It Will Respond Militarily if US Deploys Weapons in Greenland
Russia has said it will take military and technical countermeasures if the United States moves ahead with plans to place weapons in Greenland, officials told journalists.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov made the remarks during a press event at the Russian Embassy in Beijing on February 3, saying a U.S. deployment of weapon systems on the Arctic island would prompt a direct response from Moscow.
His comments were tied to Washingtons proposed Golden Dome missile defense concept, a multilayered architecture that U.S. officials have discussed in relation to Arctic basing and improved early warning coverage for continental defense.
Moscow Frames Greenland as Strategic
Russia views Greenland’s location near key polar missile flight paths as central to any strategic defense architecture. Ryabkov said if the United States chooses to install elements of the Golden Dome system on Greenland, Moscow would treat that as a serious shift requiring military and technical compensatory measures.
He made the remarks as the 2010 New START nuclear arms control treaty is set to expire, a pact that has for years limited the United States and Russia to equal ceilings on deployed strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems. Moscow told Washington it was ready to continue observing the pact’s limits for another year, but had received no response.
Golden Dome and Arctic Tensions
The Golden Dome initiative is a proposed U.S. missile defense umbrella that the White House says would link advanced sensors and interceptors to defend against a broad set of ballistic and hypersonic threats. Discussions about the concept have included Greenland in part because of its position between North America and Eurasia, which could extend early warning and tracking capabilities.
Denmark, which retains sovereignty over Greenland and whose territory is part of NATO, has firmly reiterated that any defense arrangements must respect Greenland’s status and not compromise its self-government. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has said the alliance is working on reinforcing Arctic security in a way that respects sovereignty and collective defense arrangements.
Diplomatic and Strategic Implications
Ryabkov’s warning adds to broader tensions between Moscow and Washington. The potential expansion of U.S. missile defense assets into the Arctic comes at a time of deepening mistrust over nuclear arms control and strategic stability. With New START set to lapse, both capitals face pressure to manage risk and keep channels open for dialogue.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the treaty’s expiration as a “dangerous moment” for global security, saying the absence of binding limits on nuclear forces between the two largest nuclear powers increases uncertainty and risk.
What Comes Next
The United States has not confirmed any specific weapons deployment to Greenland under the Golden Dome framework. U.S. officials have stressed that any cooperation with Denmark or NATO on Arctic defense would be discussed with allies and respect existing agreements. Analysts say any shift toward hardware deployments on Greenland could reshape Arctic security dynamics and further complicate U.S.-Russia relations.
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