US President Donald Trump's claims on Greenland are not related to security threats from China or Russia, says former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. In reality, the former US president seeks to emulate the Russian president and enter history as a leader who “gathered lands," as Vladimir Putin does in Ukraine.
Medvedev has often been described as the Kremlin’s “mouthpiece” for his apocalyptic social media statements, which reflect Moscow’s official position. He has frequently issued nuclear threats aimed at the West for aiding Ukraine.
According to him, the Greenland issue is not geopolitics or defense, but personal ambition and a desire to leave a mark on history.
"Imperial games" among allies threaten transatlantic unity
Last week, Trump effectively issued an ultimatum to Europe, demanding that Greenland be handed over to the US and threatening trade tariffs if the request was refused.
Medvedev claims that European leaders, whom he described as “cowardly,” will try to persuade Trump to compromise, for example, through a long-term lease of the island with rights to extract natural resources and deploy military bases.
Trump is willing to pay a high price, which may include collapse of NATO
According to Medvedev, Trump does not need half-measures, and “everyone understands this.” His real goal is to formally annex Greenland to the US.
“He needs to color the island on world maps in stars and stripes (he has already published such a map, including Canada and Venezuela) and stand alongside the founding fathers,” Medvedev says.
The key question, he added, is what price the current occupant of the White House is willing to pay to achieve this goal.
“Liquidating NATO is not the same as abducting a foreign leader in a weakened country. He wants to remain in history forever. At the same time, to become like the president of Russia” Medvedev concludes.
The former Russian president believes Trump is in a hurry because “his time is relentlessly running out.”
For Ukraine, maintaining transatlantic unity remains critically important not only militarily, but also politically. Any attempts at “imperial games” among allies, experts warn, create a window of opportunity for the Kremlin and directly contribute to weakening Ukraine’s position.
