Vladimir Putin is determined to further enlarge Russia, and he sees Donald Trump’s plan to buy Greenland or take it by other means as a way to whitewash Putin’s attempted conquest of Ukraine, as well as his potential future endeavors.

Some Russian state media figures reportedly said the U.S. president-elect's actions could legitimize Russia's own imperialist goals.

John Bolton, President-elect Trump’s former national security adviser, said Trump’s unwillingness to rule out military force on Greenland could bolster the positions of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin as they seek to justify their expansionist visions.