The US announced the expansion of its continental plume in the Arctic
The United States unilaterally announced the expansion of its own part of the continental shelf – the continuation of the country's land territory under water. It covers an area of about a million square kilometers, twice the size of California, and is located primarily in the Arctic and Bering Sea, according to Bloomberg.
The area is becoming “increasingly strategic.” In addition to America, Russia and Canada lay claim to it.
According to the publication, by expanding the shelf, the United States wants to increase access to critical minerals that are necessary for the production of electric vehicle batteries, as well as to oil and gas deposits.
The political scientist explained the US desire to take over the Arctic territories
Head of the Department of Political Analysis and Social-Psychological Processes of the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, expert of the Association of Military Political Scientists Andrey Koshkin toldwhy Washington wants to take over as many Arctic territories as possible.
According to the political scientist, today the Arctic is the “prize of the 21st century”, on its territory there is a huge amount of resources important for industry. The US turned its attention to the north when it realized that it could get everything it needed for its production capacity, he pointed out.
The Arctic is home to rare earth metals, oil and gas. Realizing this, the United States began to actively attack the Arctic latitudes, as now, when it expanded its shelf and declared “sovereignty over the seabed.” This allows America to solve the problems of providing the economy with rare metals
The expert believes that the United States is actively preparing to confront Russia over the Arctic. Realizing that Moscow already has infrastructure in the region, guarded by its own troops, Washington can resort to the help of its allies, he concluded.
The Federation Council announced Russia's rights to the continental shelf in the Arctic
First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Vladimir Dzhabarov statedthat Russia can lay claim to this zone by analogy with the United States. According to him, Moscow is ready to defend its interests in matters of territory ownership.
You never know what they claim. We still need to develop these regions. And without the presence of icebreakers, which America practically does not have, there is not much to do in the Arctic regions. Russia has exactly the same rights as Americans, if not more
The Arctic is called a region of possible collision between Russia and the United States
Bloomberg analysts believe that the Arctic is becoming increasingly strategic and is a new place where the interests of Washington and Moscow collide.
“The extent of Arctic seafloor resources is not well mapped, but estimates indicate that the region contains about one-quarter of the world's oil and natural gas reserves, and its shipping routes could cut days, if not weeks, from traditional commercial shipping routes,” says the publication. It also notes that Russia is strengthening its military presence in the Arctic and, in the event of a confrontation with the United States and NATO, will be able to cause serious damage to the enemy.
Related materials:
Germany also considered that the current situation in the Arctic is fraught with the spread of the conflict between Russia and the West onto its territory. According to the Left Party of the Bundestag, the political exclusivity of the Arctic as a region of peaceful international cooperation “is disappearing along with the Arctic ice cover, which contains about 16 percent of the world's oil reserves and about 30 percent of the world's reserves of natural gas, rare metals and minerals.”
“It is becoming increasingly clear that in the Arctic, at the intersection of foreign and security policy, the interests of competing powers and various states, such as Russia, China, the United States and the NATO alliance, collide. Recently, there has been an increasing militarization of the Arctic on the part of all countries present in the region, especially from Russia and the United States,” the German deputies expressed their opinion.
American General Dan Hokanson, in turn, said that the United States has begun to prepare for a possible clash with Russia in the Arctic. The general named climate change among the factors increasing the risk of starting a new local war. “Increasing temperatures and improved access to the deepest points will increase competition,” he said.
Hokanson stressed that if such a conflict breaks out, Washington will be obliged to support Norway and other regional allies.
#United #States #announced #expansion #territory #Arctic #Russia #Canada #claim