Excerpts from foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s statement at the Government Hour hearings during a plenary session of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, February 11, 2026 Against the backdrop of the Russophobic hysteria sweeping Europe, the EU’s openly servile position towards Washington’s claims to Greenland is quite notable. As President Putin noted, we proceed from the understanding that this issue does not directly concern us. The United States, Denmark and Greenland must resolve it themselves, taking into account the views of the residents of the largest island, whom official Copenhagen treated rather harshly for many years and decades. One might say, as second-class citizens. There are ample facts to back this up. If Greenland gets effectively militarised and military capabilities aimed at Russia are created there, we will take appropriate countermeasures, including of a military-technical nature. Nevertheless, our principled position is that the Arctic should remain a zone of peace and cooperation. Speaking of Greenland, it is impossible not to note that, as in many other instances, the self-proclaimed champions of peace and order based on Western rules apply blatantly double standards. The right of Greenlanders to self-determination is recognised, while the right of the peoples of Crimea, Donbass and Novorossiya to determine their future in unity with Russia continues to be denied. We categorically disagree with such distorted and openly biased logic. We will uphold truth and law in all contacts with our international partners and provide political and diplomatic assistance in achieving all the goals and objectives of the special military operation.