Putin says US push for Greenland rooted in history, vows to uphold Russian interest in the Arctic

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that President Donald Trump's push for control over Greenland wasn't surprising given longtime U.S. interest in the mineral-rich territory.

Speaking at a policy forum in the Artic port of Murmansk, Putin noted that the United States first considered plans to win control over Greenland in the 19th century, and then offered to buy it from Denmark after World War II.

“It can look surprising only at first glance and it would be wrong to believe that this is some sort of extravagant talk by the current U.S. administration,” Putin said. “It’s obvious that the United States will continue to systematically advance its geostrategic, military-political and economic interests in the Arctic.”

Trump irked much of Europe by suggesting that the United States should in some form control the self-governing, mineral-rich territory of Denmark, a U.S. ally and NATO member. As the nautical gateway to the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America, Greenland has broader strategic value as both China and Russia seek access to its waterways and natural resources.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife are due to visit an American military base in Greenland on Friday on a trip that was scaled back after an uproar by Greenlanders and Danes.

Speaking on Thursday, Putin noted that Russia is worried about NATO’s activities in the Arctic and will respond by strengthening its military capability in the polar region.

“We are certainly concerned about NATO members describing the Far North as the region of possible conflicts,” he said, noting that Russia's neighbors Finland and Sweden have joined the alliance. “Russia has never threatened anyone in the Arctic, but we will closely follow the developments and mount an appropriate response by increasing our military capability and modernizing military infrastructure.”

Russia has sought to assert its influence over wide areas of the Arctic in competition with the United States, Canada, Denmark and Norway as shrinking polar ice from the warming planet offers new opportunities for resources and shipping routes. China also has shown an increasing interest in the region, believed to hold up to one-fourth of the Earth’s undiscovered oil and gas.

“We won’t allow any infringement on our country’s sovereignty, reliably safeguard our national interests while supporting peace and stability in the polar region,” Putin said.

While pledging to strengthen Russia's military foothold in the Arctic, Putin said that Moscow was holding the door open to broader international cooperation in the region.

“The stronger our positions will be, the more significant the results will be and the broader opportunities we will have to launch international projects in the Arctic involving the countries that are friendly to us, and, possibly, Western countries if they show interest in joint work. I’m sure the time will come to launch such projects.”

Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and Putin's envoy for international investment who took part in talks with U.S. officials, told reporters last month that Russia and the U.S. should develop joint energy ventures.

“We need joint projects, including in the Arctic and other regions,” he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, accompanied by Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Alexander Moiseyev, left, speaks with crew members of the nuclear-powered submarine Arkhangelsk at the Atomflot, a service base for nuclear-powered fleet, in Murmansk, Russia, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Kirill Zykov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, speaks with crew members of the nuclear-powered submarine Arkhangelsk at the Atomflot, a service base for nuclear-powered fleet, in Murmansk, Russia, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Kirill Zykov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a ceremonial ship launching for the nuclear-powered submarine Perm at the Atomflot, a service base for nuclear-powered fleet, in Murmansk, Russia, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, 2nd left, visits the Atomflot, a service base for nuclear-powered fleet, in Murmansk, Russia, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Sergei Karpukhin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the initial loading ceremony at Lavna coal transshipment complex via videoconference in Murmansk, Russia, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Sergei Karpukhin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Servicemen take part in a ceremonial ship launching for the nuclear-powered submarine Perm at the Atomflot, a service base for nuclear-powered fleet, in Murmansk, Russia, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Sergei Karpukhin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a meeting on the development of the Russian Arctic Zone on the sidelines of the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk, Russia, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Alexey Nikolskiy, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, 2nd right, inspects the nuclear-powered submarine Arkhangelsk at the Atomflot, a service base for nuclear-powered fleet, in Murmansk, Russia, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin inspects the nuclear-powered submarine Arkhangelsk at the Atomflot, a service base for nuclear-powered fleet, in Murmansk, Russia, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, inspects the nuclear-powered submarine Arkhangelsk at the Atomflot, a service base for nuclear-powered fleet, in Murmansk, Russia, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Sergei Karpukhin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the plenary session of the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk, Russia, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a ceremonial ship launching for the nuclear-powered submarine Perm at the Atomflot, a service base for nuclear-powered fleet, in Murmansk, Russia, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Sergei Karpukhin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the Atomflot, a service base for nuclear-powered fleet, in Murmansk, Russia, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Sergei Karpukhin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the plenary session of the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk, Russia, Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

PARIS (AP) — A French court on Monday barred Marine Le Pen from seeking public office for five years, with immediate effect, for embezzlement -- a hammer blow to the far-right leader’s presidential hopes and an earthquake for French politics.

Although Le Pen can appeal the verdict, such a move won’t suspend her ineligibility, which could rule her out of the 2027 presidential race.

The court ruling was a political as well as a judicial temblor for France, hobbling one of the leading contenders to succeed President Emmanuel Macron at the end of his second and final term, scheduled to last into 2027. So broad were the political implications that even some of Le Pen's political opponents reacted by saying that court had gone too far.

Le Pen herself wasn't around to hear the chief judge pronounce the sentence that threw her career into a tailspin. By then, she'd already strode out of the courtroom, when the judge first indicated that Le Pen would be barred from office, without saying straight away for how long.

Although Le Pen didn't immediately comment, her supporters were quick to express disapproval. Jordan Bardella, her 29-year-old protégé who could replace her on the ballot in 2027 if she can't stand, said on X that Le Pen “is being unjustly condemned” and that French democracy “is being executed.”

Hungary’s populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán quickly took to social media to express his support, posting “Je suis Marine!” — I am Marine — on X.

Among political opponents of Le Pen who expressed unease was conservative lawmaker Laurent Wauquiez, who said the court ruling put “a very heavy weight on our democracy.”

The sentence could prevent her from running for president in 2027, a scenario she has previously described as a “political death.”

Only an appeal ruling that overturns the ban on public office could restore her hopes of standing. But with the election just two years away, time is running out and there’s no guarantee that an appeals court would rule more favorably.

The verdict was a resounding defeat for Le Pen's party. The judge also handed down guilty verdicts for embezzling public funds to eight other current or former members of her party who, like her, previously served as European Parliament lawmakers. Also convicted were 12 other people who served as parliamentary aides for Le Pen and what is now the National Rally party, formerly the National Front.

The judge said Le Pen had been at the heart of “a system” that her party used to siphon off EU parliament money. The judge said Le Pen and other co-defendants didn't enrich themselves personally. But the ruling described the embezzlement as “a democratic bypass" that deceived the parliament and voters.

From the front row of the court, Le Pen had initially shown no immediate reaction when the judge first declared her guilty. But she grew more agitated as the verdict was then delivered in greater detail. She nodded her head in disagreement as the judge said Le Pen’s party had illegally used European Parliament money for its own benefit.

“Incredible,” Le Pen she whispered at one point. She then abruptly left without warning, picking up her bag and striding out, her heels click-click-clicking on the hardwood floor, leaving disbelief in her wake.

The court sentenced Le Pen to two years' imprisonment under house arrest, but it was the political ramifications of ineligibility that dealt the biggest blow to her foreseeable political future.

Le Pen and 24 other officials from the National Rally were accused of having used money intended for EU parliamentary aides to pay staff who worked for the party between 2004 and 2016, in violation of the 27-nation bloc’s regulations. Le Pen and her co-defendants denied wrongdoing.

Le Pen, 56, was runner-up to President Emmanuel Macron in the 2017 and 2022 presidential elections, and her party’s electoral support has grown in recent years.

During the nine-week trial that took place in late 2024, she argued that ineligibility “would have the effect of depriving me of being a presidential candidate" and disenfranchise her supporters.

“There are 11 million people who voted for the movement I represent. So tomorrow, potentially, millions and millions of French people would see themselves deprived of their candidate in the election,” she told the panel of three judges.

Le Pen's seeming natural successor in 2027 elections would be Jordan Bardella, Le Pen’s 29-year-old protégé who succeeded her at the helm of the party in 2021.

Le Pen denied accusations she was at the head of the system meant to siphon off EU parliament money to benefit her party, which she led from 2011 to 2021. She argued instead that it was acceptable to adapt the work of the aides paid by the European Parliament to the needs of the lawmakers, including some political work related to the party.

Hearings showed that some EU money was used to pay for Le Pen’s bodyguard — who was once her father's bodyguard — as well as her personal assistant.

Prosecutors requested a two-year prison sentence and a five-year period of ineligibility for Le Pen.

Le Pen said she felt they were “only interested” in preventing her from running for president.

Leicester reported from Le Pecq, France. Thomas Adamson in Paris and Justin Spike in Budapest contributed.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen arrives at a Paris court expected to deliver a verdict in an embezzlement case that could shake up French politics and derail far-right leader Marine Le Pen's career Monday, March 31, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, left, arrives at a Paris court expected to deliver a verdict in an embezzlement case that could shake up French politics and derail far-right leader Marine Le Pen's career Monday, March 31, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen arrives at a Paris court expected to deliver a verdict in an embezzlement case that could shake up French politics and derail far-right leader Marine Le Pen's career Monday, March 31, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

FILE - This courtroom sketch by Valentin Pasquier shows French far-right leader Marine Le Pen during his trial, facing court on charges of embezzling EU funds at the Paris court house, in Paris France, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Valentin Pasquier, File)

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen arrives at a Paris court expected to deliver a verdict in an embezzlement case that could shake up French politics and derail far-right leader Marine Le Pen's career Monday, March 31, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

FILE - French far-right leader Marine Le Pen arrives at the courtroom for the trial over the suspected embezzlement of European Parliament funds, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, File)