Access Waters: RF supports neutrality of the Panama Canal
Russia supports the defense of the neutrality of the Panama Canal, Russian Ambassador to the Latin American country Konstantin Gavrilov told Izvestia. In Donald Trump's statement about plans to return the canal to US control, Moscow sees a violation of the principles of sovereign equality of states, territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs. Earlier in the House of Representatives was presented a bill that would potentially give the future president the right to buy the Panama Canal. Against this background, the Panamanian authorities promised to raise the issue before the UN Security Council, a seat in which for two years the South American republic received in early 2025. On the prospects of this and other territorial claims of the U.S. president-elect - in the material "Izvestia".
Russia is in favor of maintaining the status quo in the Panama Canal
Russia is one of 40 countries that joined the agreement on permanent neutrality and operation of the Panama Canal between the United States and Panama and insists on its preservation. Russian Ambassador to the Latin American country Konstantin Gavrilov told Izvestia.
- Our country is in favor of observing and respecting the regime of permanent neutrality of the Panama Canal, which implies, in particular, that both in peacetime and wartime this key waterway for international trade should remain safe and open for peaceful transit of vessels of all states on terms of full equality, - said the diplomat.
In addition, the Russian ambassador to Panama emphasized the counterproductiveness of calls for the use of force to change the existing status of the canal. This, according to Gavrilov, is a violation of the principles of sovereign equality of states, territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs.
- Panamanians declare their readiness for dialog and maintenance of friendly relations with the United States. We proceed from the fact that in the interests of ensuring the safety of international navigation, the situation around the Panama Canal will develop in this direction, and any contradictions between Washington and Panama will be regulated exclusively by political and diplomatic methods," he explained.
The diplomat noted that Donald Trump's statements about the Panama Canal do not lead to an increase in the degree of internal political tension in the Latin American state.
Earlier, the Kremlin said it was closely watching the discussion about control over the Panama Canal.
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov
- We have heard statements from the Panamanian government and representatives of Panama that at least sounded incomprehension in connection with such a position of the [U.S.] president-elect. However, this is a matter of their bilateral relations. We are monitoring such an exchange of statements very closely," Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on January 9.
The U.S. is preparing to begin negotiations on the acquisition of the Panama Canal
The conflict between the US and Panama over the rights to own the canal began late last year, when President-elect Donald Trump threatened to return the transportation artery if the authorities of the Latin American state did not revise the terms of its use. Earlier, he criticized the high fares charged for transit along the route, stressing that the transfer of control of the canal in 1999 was a "gesture of cooperation" and not a concession in favor of other countries. Expectedly, such statements provoked negative reactions from the Panamanian authorities as well as from the governments of neighboring states.
Trump's ambitions moved from polemics to real action on January 9, when Republican Dusty Johnson put forward a bill for discussion in the House of Representatives that could give the future American leader the right to buy the Panama Canal.
Johnson said China's increased presence in the Panama Canal region is cause for concern. "America must demonstrate strength abroad - owning and operating the Panama Canal could be an important step toward a stronger America and a safer world," the politician said.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump
It is important to note that this bill has not yet reached the House of Representatives' deliberations and there is still a chance that it will not eventually pass, nevertheless it is another indicator of Trump's seriousness.
Meanwhile, the Panamanian authorities on January 11 expressed their intention to appeal to the UN Security Council if the future American president does not stop the pressure on the country. According to foreign media, the leader of the Latin American state, Jose Mulino, is waiting for Trump's inauguration on January 20 to take further action. By the way, since January 2, Panama joined the UN Security Council for the period 2025-2026.
Donald Trump's other territorial ambitions
The Panama Canal is far from Donald Trump's only territorial interest. On January 7, the Republican said that Greenland should become part of the United States in order to protect itself from Russian and Chinese threats. Trump tried to get the Danish autonomy during his last presidential term, but then it was a question of buying it, not conquering it by force.
Against the backdrop of these statements, on January 13, the Danish government confirmed its openness to a dialog with the new American administration to ensure the legitimate interests of the American side.
According to a survey by the American public opinion research center Patriot Polling, 57.3% of the island's residents support the idea of becoming part of the United States. In this study took part 416 people, a total of about 57 thousand people live in Greenland. At the same time, the Prime Minister of the island Mute Egede said that the inhabitants of Greenland do not want to be neither Danes nor Americans: it is more important for them to decide their own future.
Trump's statements about Greenland have caused concern in Moscow as well. "It is obvious that behind this kind of statements is the US desire to strengthen and expand its presence in the Arctic. For Russia, the Arctic is of great strategic, geopolitical importance. And we cannot but be concerned about such incomprehensible approaches. We cannot rule out the possibility of violating international law in advancing into the Arctic," Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko said earlier.
Trump also labeled Canada as a candidate for joining the United States. According to the Republican, the inclusion of the North American state in the United States will bring economic stability to the residents of the country and protect it from external threats, which, according to the president-elect, come from "Russian and Chinese ships". However, according to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, with such statements the Republican seeks to divert public attention from his other intention - to increase customs duties on Canadian goods supplied to the United States.
Konstantin Blokhin, a researcher at the Center for Security Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, believes that Trump is preparing his partners for deals favorable to the United States with his loud statements.
- The classic of the negotiation process is to push the situation to the limit, probe the information space and thus prepare partners for an acceptable agreement. So, for example, in the case of Greenland - the task is to prepare Denmark for an acceptable deal for the placement of American military infrastructure for further US competition with Russia in the Arctic," the expert told Izvestia.
In addition, such aggressive rhetoric is used by Trump to concentrate around him the divided American elite, which responds well to ultimatums in the matter of decision-making, the analyst summarizes.
