The United States is trying to compete with Russia in the Arctic. What you need to know

The United States and Canada intend to increase their fleet of icebreakers and strengthen their presence in the Arctic. The West is concerned about the vulnerability of the northern borders of NATO countries and the fact that the Northern Sea Route has now become the safest maritime corridor for sanctioned Russian cargo. In addition, the Arctic is a storehouse of natural resources and marine biological resources. What efforts NATO is making to oust Russia in the Arctic is in the Izvestia article.

Why is there an increased interest in the Arctic in the world?

• Global warming and melting ice have opened up new opportunities for shipping in the Arctic. Under the conditions of Western sanctions, the Northern Sea Route has become the safest route for transporting goods to Asia for Russia. According to the forecast outlined in the strategy of the US Department of Defense (now the Military Department, we wrote more about the reasons for the renaming here) Starting in 2024, in five years, summer in the Arctic can take place without ice formation, and this will allow the development of Arctic sea transport routes and provide access to the underwater resources of the region.

• The Arctic contains the main reserves of minerals and rare earths. Up to 13% of the world's oil reserves and about 1,550 trillion cubic meters of natural gas have been discovered here, the deposits of which are located off the coast of Russia. While the developed oil and gas fields are gradually being depleted, and this happens especially quickly with shale energy production, which is practiced in the United States, Arctic deposits attract the attention not only of Russia, but also of Western countries.

• The United States and Canada intend to strengthen their northern borders and use them to host military bases and launch satellites for defense and research purposes. Satellites help to detect promising oil and gas fields in the Arctic. Given the complex landscape and conditions in the region, the aerospace survey is becoming the first stage of geological exploration. The Arctic Ocean is also rich in biological resources, and the United States wants to ensure access to these reserves.

Transarctic Transport Corridor: what is known about the route

A major route through the Arctic will open up new prospects for Russian entrepreneurs

How the United States is trying to overcome Russia's hegemony in the Arctic

For all the ambitions of the United States, they are unable to ensure their dominance in the Arctic. Therefore, the main calculation is made for the North Sea fleet of NATO countries, which has 37 vessels, of which the United States has 3 icebreakers, Canada has 19, Finland has 8, Sweden has 4, and Norway, Great Britain and Japan each have one vessel. Russia currently has 47 operational icebreakers at its disposal, making it the undisputed leader in Arctic waters. China owns six more icebreakers.

• The US's reliance on NATO partners is complicated by the fact that relations between the countries are going through a cooling period after the introduction of US duties on imported goods and statements by US President Donald Trump that Canada should become the 51st state, and Greenland should be transferred to the United States. Currently, the United States and Canada, which have the largest northern borders, are forced to cooperate in order to increase the fleet of icebreakers. The United States expects to increase its fleet by another 48 ships, but currently shipyards in Finland, which builds 60% of the world's icebreakers, are busy with current orders.

How will this affect Russia

• The US attempts to gain dominance in the Arctic Ocean will take years, and during this period Russia needs to secure its infrastructure. Experts suggest that if a partnership is concluded with the United States within the framework of cooperation, it is possible to clarify the northern borders and jointly develop deposits in the region.

• Currently, Russia's main partner in the Arctic is China, and the more this cooperation strengthens, the more attractive the prospect of partnership with Russia will be for the United States. The expert community sees international cooperation as the key to border security in the Arctic region. Otherwise, there is a risk that the Arctic, as a unique treasure trove of natural resources, will become the cause or even the site of military operations in the 21st century.

During the preparation of the material, Izvestia interviewed:

Konstantin Blokhin, an American political scientist and a leading researcher at the Center for Security Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences;

- the American political scientist Mikhail Sinelnikov-Orishak.