Russia and the US are not currently discussing cooperation in the Arctic, and the topic is not on the agenda of working contacts between Moscow and Washington. This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov to journalists.
„Currently, the topic of interaction in the Arctic is not on the agenda. The Americans and other Arctic countries refuse such interaction with Russia“, Peskov said.
According to him, however, this in no way diminishes Russia's role in the Arctic. His statement was made in response to a question about whether possible cooperation in the region is being discussed within the framework of current working contacts with the American side.
The Kremlin's comment comes at a time when the US is strengthening its cooperation with its allies in the Arctic. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met on September 21 in New York with representatives of Canada, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The talks focused on security, critical infrastructure and increased allied investment in the region.
At the same time, the US, Denmark and Greenland are preparing a new security agreement in the Arctic and North Atlantic. According to Reuters, the agreement provides for the expansion of the US military presence in Greenland, including through two new military facilities in Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig, in addition to the existing space base “Pitufik“.
Asked about the agreement between Washington, Copenhagen and Nuuk, Peskov said that this is a matter of relations between the respective countries and did not give any further assessment.
The Arctic is gaining increasing strategic importance due to military security, natural resources and the gradual opening of new sea routes. Washington is also monitoring the increased Chinese presence in the region. The US Coast Guard reported that in 2026, four Chinese research vessels operated in Arctic waters around Alaska, the Aleutian Islands and the Bering Strait.
Peskov's statement shows that despite ongoing contacts between Moscow and Washington, the Arctic is not yet among the areas in which the two countries are restoring practical cooperation. Earlier, the Kremlin also acknowledged that there are still no working mechanisms for restoring broader trade and economic interaction between Russia and the United States.