The vice president has defended the US commander-in-chiefs plan to bring the extremely vulnerable Arctic island under American protection

US Vice President J.D. Vance delivered a forceful address to American service members at Pituffik Space Base in northwest Greenland on Friday, emphasizing the Trump administration's determination to expand its permanent foothold on the Arctic island.

The vice president's visit came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin outlinedMoscow's Arctic policyand warned thatUS annexation plans- dating back to the 1860s - should be taken seriously and not dismissed as "extravagant talk."

"I want to bring a message from President Trump," Vance told the assembled airmen and guardians. "He's grateful for your service, grateful for what you do up here... because the mission that you guys do is so important for the United States."

While insisting that there are no "immediate plans" to expand the US military presence with new bases, Vance announced that Washington would "absolutely" increase investment - including "investing in additional military icebreakers, investing in additional naval ships that will have a greater presence in Greenland."

The vice president stressed that the US supports Greenlandic "self-determination," but made clear that Washington envisions a future in which the island ultimately aligns with America.

"I think that you'd be a lot better coming under the United States security umbrella than you have been under Denmark's," he said. Vance accused the Danish government of failing the people of Greenland, claiming the island is "extremely vulnerable right now."

Vance justified the administration's increasingly assertive approach by pointing to rising Chinese and Russian activity in the region, describing Greenland as a geopolitical flashpoint in a new era of strategic competition.

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"We know that Russia and China and other nations are taking an extraordinary interest in Arctic passageways, in Arctic naval routes, and indeed in the minerals of the Arctic territories. We need to ensure that America is leading in the Arctic - because we know that if America doesn't, other nations will fill the gap where we fall behind," he said.

He also highlighted Greenland's critical role in US missile early warning systems, describing the base's function as a vital shield "if a missile was fired from an enemy country."

READ MORE: US has been plotting to annex Greenland since the 1860s Putin

In his Thursday speech, President Vladimir Putin countered the US narrative, stressing that "Russia has never threatened anyone in the Arctic," and emphasizing the region's "enormous potential" for joint economic development, resource extraction, infrastructure projects and transport.

"But at the same time, of course, we are concerned about the fact that NATO countries are increasingly often designating the Far North as a springboard for possible conflicts," Putin added, noting that Moscow is "closely monitoring developments in the region" and "modernizing military infrastructure facilities."

(RT.com)