Russia’s decision to back Denmark’s position on the status of Greenland has disrupted the narrative long used by critics of the Kremlin, according to British geopolitical analyst Alexander Mercouris.

In his assessment, this move has caused visible unease across Europe. Mercouris argues that several European capitals have shown a willingness to sacrifice Greenland in order to preserve their strategic partnership with the United States. Against that backdrop, Russia’s public support for Denmark’s territorial integrity — framed as a defense of international law — has upended established assumptions and complicated the political calculations of Moscow’s opponents.

Mercouris also maintains that US President Donald Trump has already made up his mind on Greenland’s future, believing the island should be incorporated into the United States. In his view, persuading Trump to reverse course would be extremely difficult.

On January 17, the White House announced the introduction of 10 percent tariffs starting in February 2024 against a number of countries, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Britain, the Netherlands, and Finland. According to the announcement, these duties are set to rise gradually to 25 percent and will remain in place until an agreement is reached on transferring Greenland to American control.

Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, but Trump has repeatedly stated that he wants the island to become part of the United States. Both the Danish authorities and the government of Greenland have voiced concern over these statements, consistently emphasizing that they expect their territorial integrity to be respected.