NATO warns that Russia's increased presence in the Arctic is a challenge

MADRID, 27 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned on Friday that the increased Russian presence in the Arctic constitutes a "strategic challenge for the entire Alliance."

"Russia has established a new Arctic Command. It has opened up hundreds of new and old Soviet-era Arctic military sites, including airfields and deep-water ports. Russia is also using the region as a testbed for many of its new weapons," explained Stoltenberg, after visiting Canada's northernmost territories for the first time.

The also former Norwegian Prime Minister has indicated that, with the upcoming incorporation of Finland and Sweden into the North Atlantic, seven of the eight Arctic states will be members of NATO.

In this sense, the head of the Atlantic Alliance has warned that "the shortest path to North America for Russian missiles would be the North Pole." Thus, he has ensured that the role of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD, made up of the US and Canada) will be vital both for the North American continent and for NATO.

In turn, Stoltenberg has denounced that China is also expanding its reach in the area, as it plans to build the world's largest threadbreaker and is investing billions of dollars in energy and infrastructure projects.

The Secretary General of NATO has visited the Arctic together with the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, where they observed military exercises. "Our response is a strong and predictable Allied presence in the region," Stoltenberg said.

For his part, Trudeau explained that the change in his country's attitude regarding NATO's participation in the Arctic is due to the drift of the geopolitical situation in recent months.

"Understanding that Russia is a growing concern for all of us makes it timely that we share with the Secretary General and NATO all that Canada is doing through NORAD," he said.

Despite this, the Canadian president has emphasized that "there is no profound change in Canadian policy." "We are proud members of NATO. We will continue to work with NATO in everything we do and make sure NORAD is fully equipped to defend North America," he added.