Blinken talks to Arctic countries about climate protection

Reykjavik. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken discussed common goals in combating climate change with countries bordering the Arctic. Blinken assured the foreign ministers of the seven remaining countries in the Arctic Council at a meeting in the Icelandic capital Reykjavik on Tuesday that climate protection will play a major role under President Joe Biden.

On the sidelines of the summit, the Biden government will hold a high-level bilateral meeting with Russia on Wednesday. The conversation between Blinkin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov should pave the way for a summit between Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin in June.

Blinken said at the Arctic Council meeting that the United States wanted to revive its closest alliances and partnerships under Biden and reengage with international organizations – a departure from the policy of former President Donald Trump.

At a meeting of the Arctic Council two years ago, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggested that we should take advantage of global warming, for example through more freight on roads in the Arctic that are no longer icy. The Arctic region is particularly affected by climate change because sea ice and glaciers are melting and water levels are rising.

US-Russian relations are at a new low. Russian forces on the border with Ukraine, cyber attacks and alleged attempts to influence the 2016 and 2020 US elections by Russia, as well as the attempted poison attack and imprisonment of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, are just a few of the recent controversies. . There is a disagreement between Russia and the United States as well when it comes to developing the Arctic and its natural resources.