Kerry says U.S. won’t risk Arctic environmental goals to confront Russia

Kerry traveled to Iqaluit, Canada, Friday to assume the U.S. chairmanship of the Arctic Council, which includes Russia, along with a host of other countries that border the Arctic circle.

In assuming the leadership role, Kerry laid out a robust agenda to face the threat of climate change in the Arctic, which he says is being affected by global warming more than anywhere else in the world.

But when faced with questions over whether the U.S. will use its new leadership position to address threats posed by Russia, Kerry said no.

Kerry said the idea of using the Arctic forum to confront Russia on its actions in Ukraine and elsewhere was “kicked around,” but concerns that it would “complicate” the council’s environmental agenda forced the U.S. to decide against it.

More than half of the Arctic Council’s eight members — Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland — signed a pact earlier this month to guard against a new wave of Russian military aggression not seen since the Cold War.

In the weeks leading up to the meeting in Canada, Russia had intensified a campaign of unauthorized flights along the borders of these countries, as well as off the shores of Alaska.

At the same time, Russian state media reported a range of planned military operations in the Arctic, including a drone surveillance program, the construction of floating bases and plans for creating a self-sustaining military force in the icy north.

“Someone may like that or not, but it’s their problems,” Russia’s official news service TASS quoted a senior Russian military official saying earlier in the week. “The most important thing for us should be that we like it and that it is useful for our country.”

The news service was quoting Dimitry Rogozin, Russia’s vice premier who is in charge of the military. Rogozin made the remarks while inspecting the construction of new floating bases that Russia seeks to deploy in the Arctic. Rogozin added that it was time for Russia to come to the Arctic and “conquer it,” TASS reported.

Also, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov unexpectedly announced he would not be attending the ministerial meeting in Canada. In his place, he sent the country’s environmental minister.

Energy & Natural Resources Committee Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, pressed the Obama administration ahead of the meeting to “call out” Russia for its aggressive behavior. Russia has been conducting a “very aggressive” campaign of military fly-bys off the coast of her state, she said.

“I think we need to ensure that our signals are equally as strong, and say that is not acceptable. It’s not acceptable,” Murkowski said a week before the meeting in Canada. “And as much as we want to come together, we want to collaborate on scientific opportunities, collaborate on areas of the environment, let’s not say one thing … and then our actions take us in a different direction. We need to call Russia out when Russia needs to be called out.”

Leona Aglukkaq, Canada’s Minister for the Arctic Council, on Friday said she did not believe the military escalations would impact the focus of the council under the U.S. chairmanship.

Nevertheless, Aglukkaq said she met with the Russian delegation on the sidelines of the Arctic meeting to “condemn” its military actions in Ukraine. She would not elaborate beyond confirming that Canada was firm in expressing its opposition to Russian aggression.

Kerry took a more cautious approach than Aglukkaq, saying he didn’t believe the council was the venue for geopolitical discussions. He said it would deter the council from its mission, and explained that there are many different ways to address the military concerns without diminishing the work of the Council.

Kerry said he called Foreign Minister Lavrov ahead of the ministerial meeting to discuss the Arctic and Russia’s intent for collaboration on the environment. Russia wants this to be a “functional” relationship, and will “cooperate with us on the environment,” Kerry said.