Lavrov warns the West: We will respond militarily to the militarization of Greenland
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov issued strong warnings to Western countries, stressing that Moscow would not hesitate to take "countermeasures," including direct military action, if Greenland were turned into an advanced military platform that threatens Russian national security.
Lavrov's remarks came during an official address to the State Duma (the Russian parliament), where he emphasized that any steps aimed at strengthening the Western military presence on the Danish crown island would be met with a firm and appropriate Russian response. Lavrov stated clearly in his speech: "Certainly, in the event of the militarization of Greenland and the creation of military capabilities directed against Russia, we will take appropriate countermeasures, including military and technical measures.".
context of conflict in the Arctic
These statements are not made in a vacuum; rather, they reflect the escalating geopolitical competition in the High North. Russia views this region as a vital strategic and economic sphere, given its extensive coastline on the Arctic Ocean. For years, Moscow has been bolstering its military presence there by reopening and modernizing old Soviet bases, deploying advanced air defense systems, and developing its fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers.
In contrast, NATO and the United States are seeking to counterbalance Russia's growing influence in the region. Greenland is a strategically vital location for the United States, which already maintains Thule Air Base (now renamed Petavik Space Base) in the north of the island, a key component of its ballistic missile early warning and space surveillance system.
Strategic importance and Russian concerns
Moscow fears that Greenland could be used as a launchpad for deploying intermediate-range missiles or for enhancing surveillance and intelligence capabilities against Russian submarines crossing the GIUK gap—the sea corridor between Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom—to reach the Atlantic Ocean. The term “military and technical measures,” commonly used by Lavrov in the Russian diplomatic lexicon, refers to the deployment of counter-missiles, increased naval and air patrols, and possibly electronic warfare capabilities.
This tension comes at a time when international interest in the Arctic is growing not only for military reasons, but also for economic reasons, with melting ice opening up new shipping lanes such as the "Northern Sea Passage" and facilitating access to enormous natural resources of oil, gas and rare minerals, making the region a hotspot for future international conflict between superpowers.
