Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Greenland is not a "natural part" of Denmark, calling its status a legacy of colonial conquest and warning that issues tied to former colonies are becoming more acute. His remarks came as U.S. President Donald Trump pushed for U.S. control of Greenland and imposed tariffs on some European allies. Moscow denied any intention to seize the island, while EU leaders prepared to debate possible retaliation at an emergency summit in Brussels.
Lavrov: Greenland Is "Not a Natural Part" of Denmark — Moscow Denies Plans to Seize Island
A woman waves a Greenlandic flag as people attend a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's demand that the Arctic island be ceded to the U.S., calling for it to be allowed to determine its own future, in Nuuk, Greenland, January 17. REUTERS/Marko Djurica
Moscow, Jan 20 — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Greenland is not "a natural part" of Denmark and warned that tensions around former colonial territories are becoming more acute.
Background
U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly expressed interest in securing full U.S. control of Greenland — an autonomous territory of Denmark — citing national security reasons. On Saturday, his administration also announced tariffs on some European imports after opposition from allies to a potential U.S. move on the island.
Lavrov's Remarks
Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Lavrov described Greenland's status as the result of a colonial conquest and said the island was not "a natural part" of either Norway or Denmark.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during his annual press conference in Moscow, Russia January 20, 2026. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov
"In principle, Greenland is not a natural part of Denmark, is it? It was neither a natural part of Norway nor a natural part of Denmark. It is a colonial conquest. The fact that the inhabitants are now accustomed to it and feel comfortable is another matter."
Lavrov also sought to quash suggestions that Russia was seeking control of Greenland, saying Moscow had no intention of interfering in the island's affairs and that Washington was aware Russia had no plans to seize the territory.
European Response
European leaders said the U.S. tariffs risked violating a trade deal agreed with the Trump administration last year. EU heads of state were scheduled to meet at an emergency summit in Brussels to discuss possible retaliation and broader fallout from the dispute.
Russia has publicly reacted with apparent satisfaction to the widening rift between the United States and its European allies over Greenland, while simultaneously rejecting any suggestion that Moscow seeks to exploit the situation.
Reporting by Dmitry Antonov and Vladimir Soldatkin; Writing by Gleb Stolyarov and Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Mark Trevelyan.
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