In Murmansk, the largest city north of the Arctic circle, President Vladimir Putin vowed to “strengthen Russia’s global leadership in the Arctic”, while warning that “geopolitical competition in the region” was intensifying.
The first example he gave was Donald Trump’s idea to acquire Greenland.
But from the Kremlin leader there was no criticism of his US counterpart.
And that’s telling, as the White House and the Kremlin try to rebuild relations.
“In short, America’s plans in relation to Greenland are serious,” President Putin said in an address to Russia’s Arctic Forum in Murmansk.
“These plans have deep historical roots. And it’s clear that the US will continue to systematically pursue its geo-strategic, military-political and economic interests in the Аrctic.
“As for Greenland this is a matter for two specific countries. It has nothing to do with us.”
So said the president who had launched a full-scale invasion of a sovereign neighbouring country and claims to have annexed whole swathes of Ukraine.
When Joe Biden was in the White House, Moscow and Washington were vocal in their criticism of one another.
How things have changed.
