US, Russia Cooperation On Arctic Good Despite Situation In Ukraine

The United States views cooperation with Russia on Arctic issues as “very important” in order to ensure the region remains “an area of cooperation and peace”, according to a senior State Department official.

Relations between Russia and the United States on Arctic issues remains generally cooperative although there is some spillover due to differences over Ukraine, a senior State Department official told journalists in a conference call on Friday.

“Our bilateral relationship as it regards the Arctic is still good. I think there is always a small level of underlying tension because of other issues that are going on and because of sanctions over the activities in Ukraine and Crimea,” the official said.

Opening the North Pole 2015 drifting station in the Arctic Ocean
© Sputnik/ Sergey Mamontov
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The official added that the United States views cooperation with Russia on Arctic issues as “very important” in order to ensure the region remains “an area of cooperation and peace.”

The official was speaking ahead of the Conference on Global Leadership in the Arctic: Cooperation, Innovation, Engagement and Resilience (GLACIER) scheduled to take place on August 30 and 31 in Anchorage, Alaska.

Several foreign countries, including Russia, have accepted Washington’s invitation to the event. Russia's Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak will lead the Russian delegation.