Panel Warns of Economic and Military Impacts from Russia’s Plans for Arctic
By: John Grady
May 11, 2021 1:10 PM Alaska, May 6, 2021. US Army Photo
Top security experts recently warned that Russia’s plan to remain the sole Arctic superpower is “worrisome and troublesome” and argued that ambition has economic and military implications far into the North Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Speaking Friday at a Wilson Center online forum, Col. Petteri Seppala, defense attaché at the Finnish embassy in Washington, said “the conflict potential rising” in the Arctic. Referring to Russia’s assertiveness, he added “we do need military capabilities to ensure all follow the rules” in a traditionally quiet region.
“The Arctic Forum is too limited” in its scope to take on military matters, he said.
The forum, established in 1996, consists of the eight-member nations with territory in the region and a number of observer nations – such as China, South Korea, Japan and Singapore – with major trading interests in the region at its sessions.
https://news.usni.org/2021/05/11/panel-warns-of-economic-and-military-impacts-from-russias-plans-for-arctic
