Zakharova stated in radio remarks reported by the Russian news agency TASS on Wednesday, "It seems to me that there are some questions that should be asked of him... We must remember that he has not taken office yet... Therefore, for the time being, his statements should be viewed from this perspective; let’s wait until he becomes president and speaks in his official capacity on behalf of the nation and the American people, and only then will it be appropriate to assess and analyze these statements."
These remarks come after Trump, during a conversation with reporters at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, refused to guarantee that he would not use force or economic pressure to address issues related to the Panama Canal and Greenland. He had previously indicated the need to regain American control over the Panama Canal and expressed interest in annexing Greenland, which is a self-governing territory that is part of Danish territory.
Trump also noted that many Canadians support the idea of their country joining to become the 51st U.S. state, stating that this union "would bring economic stability to Canada and provide it with protection from external threats," which he claimed come from Russian and Chinese ships.