Russia prepared to counter US military presence in Greenland

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stated that Moscow is prepared to take military measures in response to potential US deployments of missile defense systems to Greenland. The comments were made on Tuesday, two days before the expiration of the New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms control pact between Russia and the United States.

Ryabkov’s remarks followed US President Donald Trump’s recent statements about discussions regarding the Golden Dome, a proposed multilayered missile defense program intended for deployment in Greenland. The program aims to be completed by 2029.

Russia has made a proposal to extend the New START treaty for another year, but the US has yet to respond. Ryabkov stated that Moscow will not send further communications to Washington and that the lack of response is also a response.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov separately warned that the world is entering a “dangerous” moment with the treaty set to expire. He noted that the expiration of the New START treaty would leave the world’s top two nuclear powers without a fundamental document limiting their arsenals.

The New START treaty, signed in 2010, limits the number of strategic nuclear warheads and long-range missiles that Russia and the US can deploy. It came into force in 2011 and was extended for five years after former US President Joe Biden took office. The treaty imposes a deployment limit of 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads and 700 long-range missiles.

The expiration of the New START treaty is set to occur on Thursday unless a last-minute understanding is reached.

Source: Al Jazeera