Why Trump’s pursuit of Greenland could be cheered on by Russia

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s ongoing pursuit of Greenland may have raised the hackles of Denmark, which retains sovereignty over the Arctic island, but his territorial ambitions seem to be gaining traction in an unlikely quarter: Russia.

High-profile political pundits close to Russian President Vladimir Putin have already voiced their support for Trump’s re-stated ambition to buy Greenland and expand U.S. territory to include the resource-rich island — commenting that such a move would validate every other country’s expansionist territorial ambitions, and most importantly, Russia’s.

Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social in December that he saw “ownership” of Greenland as essential for the U.S.’ economic and national security, restating a bid for the island that he made in his first term as president.

On Tuesday, Trump doubled-down on those comments and said he would not rule out using force to take Greenland, as well as the Panama Canal. Trump has also mooted the idea of turning Canada into the 51st state and to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

Trump’s comments were condemned in Europe, with France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stating Wednesday the European Union would not tolerate attacks on its sovereign borders.

The president-elect’s position has found favor in Moscow, however, with largely positive coverage by Russian state media and political figures.

Russian TV presenter and Kremlin ally Vladimir Solovyov, hosting a debate on Trump’s pronouncements on his primetime show, said Trump’s position essentially gave Moscow the right to demand the restoration of its own former Soviet empire, including the Baltic nations of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.

Other pro-Kremlin pundits on the panel said Trump’s ambitions validated Russia’s decision to launch its own “special military operation” against Ukraine. Kremlin propagandist Solovyov, an ardent supporter of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, commented that “what Trump is doing benefits us greatly,” adding that the president-elect was “totally destroying any illusions that anyone might have still had about the summit of democracies, about respecting opinions of NATO allies.”

“It’s like he’s saying, “Who are all of you? You’re all nobodies. I will talk to Putin and Xi Jinping. As for you, who are you? Deliver Greenland. He is a great guy, an awesome guy,” he added.

CNBC has contacted the Kremlin for comment on Trump’s position and is awaiting a reply.

It’s highly likely that Russia’s leadership is looking with interest at Trump’s proposals — however feasible or not they might be — with interest, analysts say. After all, they note, Russia has already shown with its 2022 invasion of Ukraine that it’s willing to violate international law and territorial sovereignty in order to achieve its own geopolitical ambitions.

“Russian propagandists and Russian state media are very happy to bathe in the news of Trump’s extraterritorial threats and desires for unilateral aggression, because those are, of course, things that they themselves have trumpeted when Vladimir Putin has pursued them,” Max Hess, fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and author of “Economic War: Ukraine and the Global Conflict Between Russia and the West,” told CNBC Wednesday.

Close followers of Russian politics say Trump’s position could spur on Russia’s leadership as it validates potential further attempts to expand Russia’s sphere of influence and power.

“The West has argued that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and territorial land grab is illegal, and defies international law. The same message has been sent to Israel over expanding settlements. And the message to China has been not to view Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a green light for a similar invasion of Taiwan — they should assume serious international consequences,” Timothy Ash, emerging markets strategist at BlueBay Asset Management, said in emailed comments Wednesday.

“Trump’s pantomime performance though yesterday sent a clear message that great powers do have ‘spheres of influence’, or they do according to Trump — which aligns with Putin’s view of the world,” Ash added, warning that Trump had greatly undermined NATO with his comments.

The Kremlin has not made any official comment on Trump’s comments regarding Greenland, which is located between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, but is likely to be watching developments closely given its own interests in the Arctic, a region where it has expanded its own political, economic and military influence in recent decades.

Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark but has links to the U.S., with American military installations constructed on the island following World War II. During the war, Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany, prompting Copenhagen and the U.S. to sign an agreement in 1941 to give the U.S. control of Greenland’s defense.

Denmark has been vociferous in its opposition to Trump’s ambition to acquire the island, with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen describing the idea as “absurd” when Trump first mooted it in 2019.

That sentiment was reiterated by Greenland following Trump’s comments in December, with Prime Minister Mute Egede saying: “We are not for sale and we will not be for sale” and that “Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland.”

Trump’s pronouncements appeared to have rattled Denmark, however, and it has sought to stamp its authority on, and ownership of, the island in recent weeks.

Hours after Trump’s comments in December, Copenhagen announced it would increase defense spending on Greenland to give it a “stronger presence in the Arctic.” It was then announced Monday that Denmark’s King Frederik X had updated his historic coat of arms to give Greenland and the Faroe Islands greater symbolic prominence and to assert them as a central part of the Danish realm.

Apparently undeterred by Greenland and Denmark’s cold shoulder, Trump announced Monday that his son Donald Trump Jr. was making an impromptu visit to the island.

Confirming the visit on Truth Social, Trump said: “My son, Don Jr, and various representatives, will be traveling there to visit some of the most magnificent areas and sights. Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation. We will protect it, and cherish it, from a very vicious outside World. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!,” Trump said.

Danish broadcaster DR reported that Donald Trump Jr. arrived in Greenland on Tuesday but said no meetings were set to take place with members of the government.

The Danish foreign ministry told NBC News: “We have noted the planned visit of Donald Trump Jr. to Greenland. As it is not an official American visit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark has no further comment to the visit.”