The Arctic Council senior official, Nikolai Korchunov, said on Thursday that the new US policy in the Arctic region aims to transform the region into "a battlefield".
Addressing the recent accusations against Russia's "aggressive behaviour" in the Arctic, Korchunov said that such statements are absurd and ungrounded.
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Korchunov added that it was no coincidence that Washington is laying emphasis on military methods and increasing military spending on the Arctic, noting that it undermines trust and multilateral cooperation in the region.
The diplomat went on to say that Russia was pursuing an open, consistent policy in the region, based on the norms of international law, with a broad agenda for international cooperation in the interests of sustainable development, which includes the United States.
On Wednesday, US National Security Adviser John Bolton said that Washington is eyeing a persistent year-round presence in the Arctic regions once its new polar ice breakers are in service. Bolton added that the Coast Guard will help the United States challenge the growing Russian military influence in the Arctic and push back against China's illegitimate claim to near Arctic status, as well as its use of "debt diplomacy" against Arctic nations.
