Russia ready to respond to any US weapons deployment in Greenland: Ryabkov | NATO News
Moscow Prepares for Potential Military Response Amid New START Treaty Expiration
Moscow is poised to respond if the United States proceeds with plans to deploy weapons on Greenland, a senior Russian official stated.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov indicated that Russia would take military measures should the U.S. move forward with its Golden Dome missile defense program on the Arctic island. His comments were made during a press briefing at the Russian embassy in China on Tuesday, as reported by the Russian state news agency TASS. This statement comes just two days before the expiration of the New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms control agreement between the two nations.
“If [the Americans] opt to introduce weapons systems to the region or deploy elements of their Golden Dome concept in Greenland, it would necessitate military and technical compensatory measures, and our specialists are ready to implement them,” Ryabkov stated, emphasizing the certainty of the response.
The remarks followed statements from U.S. President Donald Trump, who last month noted discussions regarding the Golden Dome in relation to Greenland. Trump claimed he had reached an agreement on a “framework of a future deal” concerning the territory, which is self-governing under Denmark, in talks with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
Trump has expressed a persistent interest in acquiring Greenland for strategic national security reasons, despite strong objections from Denmark, Greenland, and other European allies. This has led to tensions, culminating in Trump’s threat to impose escalating tariffs on nations opposing his plans, although he later retracted those remarks and indicated a deal framework was in place.
Nuclear Pact Set to Expire
Ryabkov also discussed the looming expiration of the New START treaty set for Thursday unless a last-minute agreement is reached. Moscow has proposed extending the treaty’s limits for an additional year, but the U.S. has not formally responded.
“We completed everything necessary in a timely manner, and they had ample time to consider it. The lack of a response is also a response,” Ryabkov noted. He asserted that Russia would not initiate further communications with Washington.
To revitalize strategic security talks between the countries, the U.S. must significantly alter its foreign policy towards Moscow, he added. “Significant reforms are required – improvements in the U.S.’s overall approach to its relations with us,” he stated.
However, Ryabkov insisted that Russia would not engage in a new arms race following the treaty’s expiration.
Heightened Concerns from the Kremlin
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov warned separately that the world is approaching a “dangerous” moment as the treaty nears its end. “In just a few days, the world will be in a more dangerous position than it has been before,” Peskov said, expressing concerns that the leading nuclear powers would be without a governing document to limit and control their arsenals.
The New START treaty, signed by former U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in 2010, capped the number of strategic nuclear warheads each country could deploy. The treaty came into force in February 2011 and was extended for five years in 2021 under President Joe Biden.
Under the agreement, Moscow and Washington committed to limiting each other to no more than 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads and a maximum of 700 long-range missiles and bombers. It also set a deployment limit of 800 intercontinental ballistic missiles and permitted both sides to conduct up to 18 inspections of strategic nuclear weapons sites annually to ensure compliance.
