From Russia’s increased military activity to more dire warnings about climate change in the region, the Arctic has been drawing prominent attention in the news lately. A few weeks ago, President Biden announced that he will name a U.S. ambassador to the Arctic to solidify U.S. foreign policy and diplomacy in the critical region. Meanwhile, Russia’s war in Ukraine has muffled what was once a ripe area of cooperation for science and exploration between Russia and the West, all while China has sought to make its own mark in the region as a so-called “near-Arctic state.”

Paul Stronski, a senior fellow in Carnegie’s Russia and Eurasia Program, joins Doug on the show to talk about the geopolitics in the Arctic, who the key players are in the region, and whether states can cooperate on key issues such as climate change, trade, and more.

1. Paul Stronski. (2021, March 29). Russia in the Arctic—A Critical Examination. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
2. Paul Stronski. (2021, May 17). A Fresh Start on U.S. Arctic Policy Under Biden. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace