Kathmandu. Russia has expressed serious concern over the presence of NATO troops on the mineral-rich Arctic island of Greenland, which US President Donald Trump has threatened to capture. Moscow believes that the recent deployment of NATO member countries will further complicate the security balance in the Arctic.

France, Sweden, Germany and Norway announced in a joint announcement on Wednesday that they would deploy troops to Greenland’s capital Nook as part of a reconnaissance and surveillance mission. The announcement came after a meeting in Washington between US, Danish and Greenland officials failed to halt Trump’s ambitions to gain control of Greenland.

President Trump has said that Greenland is very important to US security. He has also warned that if Washington does not take control of the islands, “China or Russia” will take over.

The Russian Embassy in Belgium said in a statement on Wednesday night: “The situation at the high latitudes is a matter of grave concern for us. According to the embassy, NATO is expanding its military presence in the Arctic under the false pretext of “growing threats from Moscow and Beijing”. NATO’s headquarters is located in Belgium.

Neither the Russian Foreign Ministry nor the Kremlin has commented directly on the latest military deployment to Greenland. The ministry’s statements are considered more authoritative than those of individual embassies.

In recent years, both NATO and Russia have significantly increased their military activities and presence in the Arctic region. As sea ice melts, the Arctic region opens up to international shipping routes and mineral exploration, intensifying strategic competition, analysts say.

The Russian embassy said Trump’s comments had created “unprecedented tensions” within the NATO alliance, which has been the backbone of Western security since World War II. The embassy said internal disagreements within the alliance over Greenland were making the decision-making process “even more unpredictable”.