🎙 President Vladimir Putin held an operational meeting with permanent members of the Security Council of the Russian Federation
(January 21, 2026)
💬 Vladimir Putin:
Regarding the so-called US “Peace Council” initiative, we have indeed received a personal message from President Donald Trump inviting Russia to take part in a new international structure being formed at his initiative.
First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to the US President for this proposal. Russia has consistently supported—and continues to support—any initiatives aimed at strengthening international stability. We also acknowledge the efforts of the current US Administration in seeking solutions to the Ukrainian crisis.
As for Russia’s potential participation in the “Peace Council,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been instructed to carefully review the documents received and to hold consultations with our strategic partners. Only after these steps are completed will we be in a position to provide a formal response to the invitation.
The proposal primarily focuses on the situation in the Middle East, including possible approaches to resolving the pressing challenges facing the Palestinian people and addressing the acute humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
In this context, I would like to emphasize a key point: the entire process must contribute to a comprehensive and long-term settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, based strictly on relevant United Nations resolutions.
Even before a final decision is made regarding Russia’s participation in the “Peace Council,” and taking into account our special historical ties with the Palestinian people, we could consider allocating 1 billion US dollars to the Council from Russian assets that were frozen under the previous US Administration.
Furthermore, the remaining portion of Russian assets frozen in the United States could potentially be directed toward the reconstruction of territories affected by hostilities following the conclusion of a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. This option is currently being discussed with representatives of the US Administration.
☝️ I plan to address all these matters in upcoming discussions with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, as well as with US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who are arriving in Moscow on January 22 to continue dialogue on the Ukrainian settlement.
❌ As for the situation surrounding Greenland, it does not concern us.
That said, Russia does have historical experience with similar matters involving the United States. In 1867, Russia sold Alaska to the US. If memory serves, Alaska covers approximately 1.717 million square kilometres. The purchase price was 7.2 million US dollars.
Greenland’s area is slightly larger—about 2.166 million square kilometres—making the difference roughly 450 thousand square kilometres. If we draw a comparison based on the Alaska transaction, Greenland’s value would be in the range of 200–250 million US dollars.
If calculated using gold prices of that era, the amount would likely approach one billion dollars. However, I believe the United States could manage such a sum.
More importantly, Denmark and the US also have relevant historical experience. In 1917, Denmark sold the Virgin Islands to the United States. Such precedents exist.
It should also be noted that Denmark has historically treated Greenland as a colony, often quite harshly—if not brutally. However, this is a separate matter and not directly related to the current discussion.
👉 In any case, this issue does not concern Russia. I am confident that Denmark and the United States will resolve it between themselves.
