Putin links US' Greenland push to history, vows to protect Arctic interests

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Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said US President Donald Trump's push for control over Greenland wasn't surprising given the longtime US interest in the mineral-rich territory.

Speaking at a policy forum in the Artic port of Murmansk, Putin noted that the United States first considered plans to win control over Greenland in the 19th century, and then offered to buy it from Denmark after World War II.

"It can look surprising only at first glance and it would be wrong to believe that this is some sort of extravagant talk by the current US administration. It's obvious that the United States will continue to systematically advance its geostrategic, military-political and economic interests in the Arctic," Putin said.

Trump irked much of Europe by suggesting that the United States should in some form control the self-governing, mineral-rich territory of Denmark, a US ally and Nato member.

As the nautical gateway to the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America, Greenland has broader strategic value as both China and Russia seek access to its waterways and natural resources.

US Vice-President J D Vance and his wife are due to visit an American military base in Greenland on Friday on a trip that was scaled back after an uproar by Greenlanders and Danes.

Speaking on Thursday, Putin noted that Russia is worried about Nato's activities in the Arctic and will respond by strengthening its military capability in the polar region.

"We are certainly concerned about Nato members describing the Far North as the region of possible conflicts," he said, noting that Russia's neighbours Finland and Sweden have joined the alliance.

"Russia has never threatened anyone in the Arctic, but we will closely follow the developments and mount an appropriate response by increasing our military capability and modernizing military infrastructure," Putin said.

Russia has sought to assert its influence over wide areas of the Arctic in competition with the United States, Canada, Denmark and Norway as shrinking polar ice from the warming planet offers new opportunities for resources and shipping routes.

China also has shown an increasing interest in the region, believed to hold up to one-fourth of the Earth's undiscovered oil and gas.

"We won't allow any infringement on our country's sovereignty, reliably safeguard our national interests while supporting peace and stability in the polar region," Putin said.

While pledging to strengthen Russia's military foothold in the Arctic, Putin said that Moscow was holding the door open to broader international cooperation in the region.

"The stronger our positions will be, the more significant the results will be and the broader opportunities we will have to launch international projects in the Arctic involving the countries that are friendly to us, and, possibly, Western countries if they show interest in joint work. I'm sure the time will come to launch such projects," Putin said.

Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and Putin's envoy for international investment who took part in talks with US officials, told reporters last month that Russia and the US should develop joint energy ventures.

We need joint projects, including in the Arctic and other regions," he said.