US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will soon name an ambassador to work with other Arctic nations, indigenous groups and other stakeholders, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said. “An Arctic region that is peaceful, stable, prosperous and cooperative is of critical strategic importance to the United States and a priority for Secretary Blinken,” said Patel. Warming is increasing in the Arctic to levels far beyond the rest of the planet, raising the prospect that once impenetrable waterways will open to commercial and military ships. Russia has stepped up its presence near the North Pole with submarines and warplanes, while China is building research stations in the Arctic, widely seen as a prelude to a larger presence. Blinken, at an Arctic Council meeting last year in Iceland, said nations in the region had a “responsibility” to ensure “peaceful cooperation”. The announcement of the new US ambassador-general position comes as several days of talks begin in Greenland on Arctic affairs. Seven of the eight nations in the Arctic Council suspended their membership earlier this year because the rotating chair is held by Russia, which has faced Western ostracism over its invasion of Ukraine. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. The new ambassador will replace a previous US Arctic coordinator post held by career diplomat Jim De Hart.
