The Arctic Circle will become the new arena of Russia-US competition

According to Sputnik (Russia), that is the opinion of Mr. Jeremy Kuzmarov, Editor-in-Chief of Covert Action Magazine. He believes that the tense front taking place in the Arctic Circle is part of the struggle for huge resources buried under thousands of years of ice that are gradually melting due to climate change.

Previously, many analysts also said that Washington was increasing tensions in the Arctic in an effort to compete for rich natural resources discovered as ice sheets melt.

Recently, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that Washington will open a consulate in the Norwegian city of Tromso, the country's first diplomatic mission above the Arctic Circle.

According to Mr. Kuzmarov, much has changed since the era of cooperation that began with the establishment of the Arctic Council of eight countries surrounding the Arctic in 1996.

“That partnership has been abandoned with the Cold War and with this new diplomatic outpost. There are other signs that the US is moving more into the Arctic and Russia sees that as provocative,” he said.

This expert believes that there is a fierce geopolitical battlefield hidden under the ice in the Arctic. He explains that when climate change occurs, the Arctic will have a huge abundance of mineral resources. In addition to being a potential base for military operations, the Arctic also possesses huge resources that can be exploited.

“We are seeing a new competition for access to resources that are becoming more and more accessible. The three countries of Russia, China and the United States are basically competing with each other more and more to exploit the resources in that area,” he said.

Covert Action Magazine's editor-in-chief also stressed that support for Sweden and Finland to join NATO, along with closer relations with Norway, clearly demonstrated US policy in the Arctic.

“The United States has strengthened those relationships in this new Cold War. Is this the American strategy that we have discussed? It is to target Russia, isolate Russia, and weaken Russia,” he said.

According to Mr. Kuzmarov, the US strategy in the Arctic fits into a larger strategy, such as expanding NATO to Sweden and Finland, deploying power in the Arctic and trying to dominate the region militarily.

Mr. Kuzmarov also mentioned that former President Donald Trump once offered to buy an island off the coast of Greenland from Denmark.

“The United States will use Greenland as a base just like they want to use the Arctic, Norway or Sweden,” Kuzmarov said, pointing out that the United States already has military bases on the icy island.

According to Tin Tuc Newspaper