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'Europe is at a total loss': Russia gloats over Greenland tensions (www.bbc.co.uk)
submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by deHaga@feddit.uk to c/europe@feddit.org
21 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Listen to Donald Trump and you would think Moscow and Beijing were lying in wait off the coast of Greenland, ready to pounce to boost their power in the Arctic.

"There are Russian destroyers, there are Chinese destroyers and, bigger, there are Russian submarines all over the place," President Trump said recently.

That is why, according to America's president, US control of Greenland is essential.

So how do you think Moscow has reacted to its alleged plot being uncovered and potentially thwarted by a US takeover of Greenland?

The Russians can't be pleased. Right?

Wrong.

In an astonishing article, the Russian government paper is full of praise for Trump and critical of European leaders who oppose a US annexation of Greenland.

"Standing in the way of the US president's historic breakthrough is the stubbornness of Copenhagen and the mock solidarity of intransigent European countries, including so-called friends of America, Britain and France," writes Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

"Europe does not need the American greatness that Trump is promoting. Brussels is counting on 'drowning' the US president in the midterm congressional elections, on preventing him from concluding the greatest deal of his life."

"Greatest deal"? The reporter explains what he means. I have to keep reminding myself I am reading the Russian government newspaper, not a pro-Trump publication in America.

"If Trump annexes Greenland by July 4 2026, when America celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, he will go down in history as a figure who asserted the greatness of the United States," writes Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

"With Greenland, the US becomes the second largest country in the world after Russia, surpassing Canada in area. For Americans, that's on par with such planetary events as the abolition of slavery by Abraham Lincoln in 1862 or the territorial conquests of the Napoleonic Wars.

"If, thanks to Trump, Greenland becomes part of America…for sure the American people will not forget such an achievement."

And the Russian reporter has this message for America's president: don't U-turn.

"It is dangerous for the American president to back down over Greenland. This would weaken the position of the Republican Party in the midterm elections and likely result in a Democrat majority on Capitol Hill with the ensuing consequences for Trump. Whereas a rapid annexation of Greenland before the elections can change this political trend

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[-] Shipgirlboy@sh.itjust.works 41 points 3 weeks ago

Well of course they would be happy if Trump takes Greenland. It would legitimise their land grab in Ukraine. Not that it changes much on the ground but they could then point fingers and say "See, America does it too!!"

Btw did anyone hear anything about the Epstein files lately?

[-] plyth@feddit.org 8 points 3 weeks ago

Right, but that's only for young people.

then point fingers and say “See, America does it too!!”

There is Iraq and many other examples more.

[-] Shipgirlboy@sh.itjust.works 5 points 3 weeks ago

When was the last time the US annexed another countries land and made it part of their own?

[-] TexasDrunk@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

Depends on how you count it. Northern Marina Islands were annexed in 1986 but they were a territory under our jurisdiction from the 40s and I don't know much about the history of the place before that. If you're talking about overthrowing a functioning government and taking the land, maybe Hawaii? McKinley was probably the last big expansionist.

That's if you don't count puppets. We've got and have recently had a few of those as well.

[-] Shipgirlboy@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago

Northern Marianas is a bit of an odd case, I would say, as it wasn't annexed/conquered by the US in the classical way - army marches in, kills a bunch of people, sets up government - and instead was a gradual process, that also seemed to have been mutually beneficial.

But Hawaii was a classic case for sure. Also happened in the mid 19th century, when everyone else was also doing that sort of thing. There might have been a few cases in the early 20th century as well, but I'm not sure.

Post WWII however? Not that I know of.
Plenty of regime changes, interventions, coups and puppet governments and whatnot, but all those countries still exist and did not lose any part of their territory to the US. And the people still have their own identity.

Greenland would be the first case of the US doing a conquest like that since before WWII, very similar to what Russia is trying in Ukraine.

[-] plyth@feddit.org 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

The conquering is where people die, not the annexing.

Not annexing is a surprisingly powerful argument. I am sure everybody who agrees wouldn't mind if I break into their home, change their keys, leave them one room and rent the other rooms out, without transfering ownership.

Btw, Russia didn't annex either.

The Luhansk People's Republic[d] (LPR; Russian: Луга́нская Наро́дная Респу́блика (ЛНР), romanised: Luganskaya Narodnaya Respublika (LNR), IPA: [lʊˈɡanskəjə nɐˈrodnəjə rʲɪˈspublʲɪkə]) is a disputed republic of Russia with a capital in Luhansk, established on an illegally annexed part of Luhansk Oblast in eastern Ukraine.[

It's an independent republic, voluntarily joining a federation that they can leave at any moment. /s

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luhansk_People%27s_Republic

[-] birdwing@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Hawaii? Alaska (although that one was actually sold with Russia's own full consent)? Cuba?

[-] ZkhqrD5o@lemmy.world 27 points 3 weeks ago

The USA cooperating with Russians to destroy the EU is surreal.

[-] plyth@feddit.org 12 points 3 weeks ago

The official explanation is that Putin controls Trump.

What nobody could explain so far is why the US billionaires haven't pushed their congress men to impeach Trump. They can't let Putin use Trump to destroy the source of their power.

Trump must be their man. But then, what's their plan?

[-] nosuchanon@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago

Steal everything that’s not bolted dow in the ensuing chaos and buy everything of value at firesale prices and wait for the eventual rebound where they believe they can set themselves to control society and play Marco Polo in space.

[-] plyth@feddit.org 3 points 2 weeks ago

How do they prevent China from outbidding them on every purchase?

[-] nosuchanon@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

Politics via bribery. Contribute to both parties and control their agendas.

[-] IronBird@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

yup, you'd think everyone would have caught onto the boom/bust investment cycle by now. it's very predictable

[-] dubyakay@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 weeks ago

The real globalist were the American billionaires all along. But not Soros.

[-] IronBird@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

least...i fucking hope there's an actual intelligence behind all this. honestly would almost be worse if this cycle is just unintentional self-feeding side-effect of americans just being dumb as fuck

[-] A11ert@feddit.org 13 points 2 weeks ago

If the US will take Greenland by force. It will be the end of NATO. And that's a thing Putin is hoping for.

Second I don't know if this is only a loss of Europe. But also for the US. I think Russia hates the USA more than Europe. Even he pretend to like Trump. I believe he want to destroy the USA from within.

[-] etherphon@midwest.social 13 points 3 weeks ago

Sad the world is in the hands of these decrepit old fucks desperate for a legacy.

[-] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 5 points 3 weeks ago

Puppet. Traitor.

[-] birdwing@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 3 weeks ago

An annexation of Greenland will worsen his position in the elections, that is sure.

[-] IronBird@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago

war status allows him to suspend elections

[-] dubyakay@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 weeks ago

Since when?

this post was submitted on 19 Jan 2026
130 points (97.1% liked)

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