Canada to strengthen Arctic cooperation with US amid rising Russian threats
Canada unveiled a renewed Arctic strategy on Dec. 6, aiming to bolster regional security in response to growing threats from Russia.
The plan includes closer cooperation with the United States, the appointment of an Arctic ambassador, and the establishment of new consulates in Anchorage, Alaska, and Nuuk, Greenland. Ottawa emphasized the urgency of addressing Russian aggression, China's ambitions, and the impacts of global warming, which could open new shipping routes.
Canada plans to initiate Arctic security talks with foreign affairs ministers from other northern nations and strengthen coordination on scientific research in the region. Ottawa will also push forward boundary negotiations with the United States over the Beaufort Sea and complete the implementation of a boundary agreement with the Kingdom of Denmark concerning Hans Island (Tartupaluk).
Canadian officials raised alarms about Russian activity in the Arctic, highlighting its modernization of infrastructure and military capabilities. The policy document noted that the Canadian Forces station in Alert, Nunavut, is closer to Russia's air force base at Nagurskoye than Iqaluit is to Ottawa or Toronto is to Winnipeg.
"The North American Arctic is no longer free from tension. Canada must work even closer with its closest ally, the United States, to maintain a secure North American homeland," the document said, according to CBC.
Canada’s Arctic spans over 4.4 million square kilometers but remains sparsely populated and under-surveyed, with only 16% of its waters adequately mapped.
Martin Fornusek
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