Moscow, Jan 25 (EFE).— Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled support for US President Donald Trump’s proposed reshaping of the global order, seeing in it an opportunity that aligns closely with the Kremlin’s long-standing foreign policy maxim: divide and rule.
“We have always supported and will continue to support any effort aimed at strengthening international stability,” Putin said, referring to the Gaza Peace Council, to which he has been invited by Trump.
Moscow appears largely unconcerned by objections raised by Ukraine and several European countries, which argue that the proposed structure would effectively sideline or replace the United Nations.
Russia is prepared to embrace what it sees as a multi-polar world marked by instability.
While the Kremlin insists it does not seek the militarization of the Arctic, it views any move, such as the Greenland issue, that weakens NATO cohesion as advantageous.
A Marriage of Convenience
Putin’s sparse and carefully worded public statements since the beginning of the year reflect the unease Trump’s abrupt foreign policy moves have generated within the Kremlin.
Although Venezuela and Iran remain close allies of Moscow, Russia has shown little willingness, or ability, to shield them from US pressure.
Recent US strikes that rendered Russian-made air defense systems ineffective have underscored the limits of Moscow’s influence over these authoritarian partners.
During a ceremony for newly appointed ambassadors, Putin criticized, without naming Trump, the “law of the strongest” and the unilateral imposition of sanctions and tariffs on the global stage.
Nevertheless, the Russian leader is keenly aware that cooperation with Trump may be essential to securing even a symbolic victory in Ukraine, something that would be unattainable if Moscow were to reject the Peace Council initiative.
“I would first like to thank the President of the United States for his proposal,” Putin said, instructing the foreign ministry “to maintain consultations with strategic partners, after which we will be able to respond to the invitation.”
Although Trump has claimed that Putin has already accepted, the Russian president must still consult with China, which is wary that Washington could use the meeting to exert pressure in other flashpoints, including Taiwan.
Yalta and the Theory of Chaos
In Russia, the Peace Council and other Trump initiatives are widely interpreted as the opening move toward a multi-polar world in which several major powers determine the planet’s fate.
Under this logic, the Kremlin’s sphere of influence would encompass the post-Soviet space—Ukraine, the Caucasus and Central Asia, while the United States would dominate the Americas, and China and India would hold sway over Asia.
European opposition to such a redistribution is seen as largely irrelevant, as military force is expected to play a central role in 21st-century geopolitics.
War, in this framework, becomes an instrument of foreign policy, justifying actions ranging from sanctions to the bombing of civilian infrastructure.
Russia banks on its nuclear arsenal and hypersonic weapons to compel Europe to accept a reduced role as a passive observer.
The emerging “Great Game” would resemble the 19th-century contest among great powers, centered on military strength rather than blocs like NATO or economic unions such as the EU.
This vision aligns with what the Kremlin-linked Valdai Club has dubbed the “Theory of Chaos.” Although Putin, a trained lawyer, frequently invokes international law, it remains subordinate to Russia’s national security interests.
In practice, this emerging multi-polar consensus bears closer resemblance to the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of 1939 than to the postwar summits of Tehran, Potsdam, or Yalta.
Within this framework, the Arctic is envisioned as neutral ground. In need of foreign investment, Russia is open to cooperation with both the United States and China in exploiting Arctic resources.
Greenland: A Green Light to Annexation
Against this backdrop, Putin and his inner circle have been careful to avoid commenting on Washington’s increasingly aggressive posture toward Greenland.
“It’s not our business,” Putin said, marking a shift from his earlier condemnation of Kosovo’s independence as a “Pandora’s box” to openly assigning a price tag to the Arctic territory, between $200 million and $1 billion.
Russia has refrained from criticizing Trump’s pressure on Denmark to sell the island and has even likened the idea to Tsar Alexander II’s sale of Alaska to the United States in 1867.
Whether through purchase or annexation, the Kremlin views any deal favorably, believing it would weaken international criticism of Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.
“Crimea is no less important for Russia’s security than Greenland is for that of the United States,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
Moscow also hopes that a Greenland agreement could pave the way for eventual US congressional recognition of Russia’s territorial gains in Ukraine, both on the ground and enshrined in the Russian Constitution. EFE
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