Russia Ready to Respond to Any US Weapons Deployment in Greenland: Ryabkov

Russia has issued a stark warning that it is prepared to respond with “military and technical compensatory measures” if the United States moves forward with plans to deploy weapons systems — particularly elements of its proposed Golden Dome missile defense architecture — in Greenland, according to comments by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov. The warning comes at a tense moment in U.S.–Russia relations, just days before the expiration of the New START nuclear arms control treaty, and highlights the complex strategic contest unfolding in the Arctic and broader geopolitical landscape. �
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Strategic Significance of Greenland
Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, occupies a pivotal geographic location in the Arctic. Its proximity to the North American and Eurasian landmasses makes it a powerful site for missile defense, early warning systems, and radar infrastructure. For the United States, strengthening its military footprint in the Arctic — including possible deployments of advanced missile defense systems — is seen as part of broader attempts to counter emerging threats from Russia and China.
In recent months, U.S. interest in Greenland has intensified. U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly discussed the Golden Dome missile defense concept, a multilayered defensive network intended to enhance protection against ballistic missile threats, with components potentially positioned in high northern latitudes like Greenland. While details remain scant, the idea reflects Washington’s focus on new strategic postures for the Arctic region amid shifting global power balances. �
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Moscow’s Warning
Ryabkov made his remarks during a press briefing at the Russian Embassy in Beijing, where he emphasized that any movement by the United States to “pump some weapons systems to the region or deploy certain elements of their Golden Dome concept” in Greenland would prompt Moscow to take what he described as “military and technical compensatory measures.” He added that Russian specialists “will be quite ready to take them” without hesitation. �
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While Russia has not specified exactly what actions it might take in response, military and technical measures could include redeployments, force augmentations, air or naval adjustments, or enhancements to Russia’s own missile defenses. The precise form those steps would take remains unclear, but the rhetoric signals Moscow’s deep concern about the implications of expanded U.S. weapons deployments near its borders.
Interlinked with Nuclear Arms Control
Ryabkov’s statements were made against the backdrop of the impending expiration of the New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms control agreement between the United States and Russia. Signed in 2010 and extended in 2021, this pact has for years served as a key mechanism limiting both countries’ deployed strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems while facilitating inspections and transparency. �
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With New START scheduled to expire, the formal arms control framework restraining the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals is on the brink of collapse, prompting warnings from global security officials about a more dangerous era of unchecked nuclear competition. Ryabkov has said that despite proposals from Moscow to extend the treaty’s limits for another year, Washington has yet to respond, interpreting the lack of reply as a rejection of further cooperation. �
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A Broader Security Context
Moscow’s Greenland warning is part of a broader response to perceived U.S. and NATO shifts in strategic posture. Russia has consistently objected to Western military activities near its borders — from naval deployments in the Arctic to missile defense initiatives in Europe — viewing them as destabilizing and reminiscent of Cold War-era brinkmanship. Russian officials often describe such moves as threats to their national security that necessitate equivalent responses. �
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For example, Ryabkov has previously warned that deployments of intermediate-range missiles near Russian borders would compel Moscow to take corresponding steps, framing these positions as defensive and reactive rather than offensive. �
Anadolu Ajansı
Reactions and Regional Implications
The idea of weapon deployments in Greenland has drawn a range of reactions internationally. Denmark, which retains sovereignty over the territory, has rejected notions of U.S. acquisition or stationing of forces without its consent, emphasizing Greenland’s autonomy and strategic significance. Other NATO members have also expressed caution about entangling their alliance in Arctic tensions. �
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Meanwhile, analysts caution that Russia’s warnings could be aimed as much at European audiences as American policymakers. By loudly denouncing potential U.S. military moves in the Arctic, Moscow seeks to sow concern among NATO members about escalating costs of security cooperation — a tactic that could influence alliance cohesion.
Geopolitical Stakes Beyond the Arctic
The warning regarding Greenland is linked to larger geopolitical debates about security, deterrence, and strategic balance. With New START expiring, confidence-building measures between Moscow and Washington have eroded, and issues like missile defense deployment, space-based surveillance, and emerging technologies are increasingly part of the broader strategic rivalry.
Experts warn that without renewed arms control frameworks or new agreements, both sides may feel compelled to enhance their capabilities in response to each other’s deployments, creating a cycle of escalation rather than stability.
Conclusion
Russia’s readiness to respond to any U.S. weapons deployment in Greenland reflects broader tensions between Moscow and Washington over military posture, strategic security, and the future of arms control. With the Arctic gaining fresh strategic importance and the New START treaty expiring, the risk of miscalculation and competitive weapon build-ups is rising.
Ryabkov’s warning underscores how geopolitical rivalries are no longer confined to traditional battlefields but extend to strategic geography like Greenland, where great power competition for influence, deterrence, and technological edge is bringing renewed diplomatic and military tensions to the forefront of international security.