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US has a right to offer Denmark to sell Greenland, says Russian foreign ministry

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova expressed her surprise regarding the statements by the Danish royal family stressing that the residents of Greenland must decide the fate of the island

MOSCOW, August 28. /TASS/. The US has a right to offer Denmark to sell Greenland, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a briefing on Wednesday in response to a corresponding question.

"They are two sovereign states, they can make various offers to each other, react to them, reject them, make corresponding decisions. It is their right," she said.

Zakharova also expressed her surprise regarding the statements by the Danish royal family stressing that the residents of Greenland must decide the fate of the island. "I have only one question: why didn’t we hear the same thing about five years ago (regarding Crimea - TASS)?" the diplomat asked.

US President Donald Trump said on August 19 the country was interested in purchasing Greenland, an autonomous region of the Kingdom of Denmark. In his words, it is a "large real estate deal." Greenland’s and Denmark’s authorities, in turn, said Greenland was interested in cooperation with the United States and would not be up for sale. Later, Trump postponed his meetings with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen scheduled for early September over her refusal to discuss that topic.