The Arctic Council, a gathering of eight foreign ministers from the Arctic Circle, took place in Iceland’s Reykjavik capital on March 19 and 20, with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov both stressing the differences between the two countries, but saying they should cooperate on some issues.
The Central News Agency reports that Antony Blinken said the differences between the U.S. and Russia are no secret, but the two countries have overlapping interests in many areas. When Russia treats the United States aggressively, the United States and its partners and allies will respond. If the U.S. and Russia could work together, the world would be a safer place.
Sergei Lavrov, for his part, noted that the U.S. and Russia have vastly different assessments of the international situation. The two sides are ready to discuss all issues, and these discussions should be honest and based on mutual respect.
The Arctic Council is the first high-level meeting between the U.S. and Russia since President Joe Biden took office. In addition to taking stock of the great divide between the two rival nations, it set the stage for a summit between President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin in June.
Speaking at a press conference in Reykjavik on the eve of the rally, Blinken said, “We are concerned about the increase in military activity in parts of the Arctic. That increases the potential for danger or accidents…and undermines the common goal of a peaceful and sustainable future for the region. We need to avoid the militarization of the Arctic.”
In recent years, Putin has made the Russian Arctic a prime strategic location, ordering investments in military infrastructure and mining minerals there, but also increasing tensions with members of the Arctic Conference.
Lavrov 17 had warned Western countries not to compete for Arctic sovereignty. He held a press conference in Moscow, noting, “It has long been clear to everyone that this is our domain, this is our land. We have a responsibility to ensure the security of our Arctic coast.”
The Arctic Council, a gathering of the eight foreign ministers of the Arctic Circle, in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, on May 19 and 20, 2021.
The White House announced in April that it was imposing economic sanctions on Russia and expelling 10 diplomats, including Russian intelligence officials, in retaliation for Russian interference in the U.S. election, large-scale cyber attacks and other malicious acts.
In addition, the U.S. Treasury Department has also imposed sanctions on five Russian individuals and three entities in response to Russia’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in Ukraine.
Biden then said that the U.S. does not seek to start a cycle of escalating tensions and conflicts with Russia and hopes to have a stable and predictable relationship. But if Russia continues to interfere with U.S. democracy, he will take further action in response.
Biden also said that direct, face-to-face communication is essential to building a more effective relationship, so he suggested to Putin that a summit be held in Europe this summer to discuss a range of issues facing both sides.
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