NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday warned about Russia's military buildup in the Arctic and✃ China's increasing interest in that part of the world.
During⛦ a visit to Canada's north, Stoltenberg said the shortest path to North America for Russian missiles and bombers is over the North Pole.
He said Russia has set up a new Arctic Command and has opened hundreds of new and former Soviet-era Arctic military 𝓡sites, including airfields and deep-water ports.
“We see a significant Russian military build-up with new bases, new weapons systems, and also using the High North as a test bed for their most advanced weapons, i🦩ncluding hypersonic missiles,” Stoltenberg said at a Canadian military base in Cold𒈔 Lake, Alberta.
Stoltenberg also noted China has declared itself a “near Arctic” state. He sa𝄹id Beijing plans to build the worl⭕d's largest icebreaker and is spending tens of billions of dollars on energy, infrastructure, and research projects in the north.
“Beijing and Moscow have also pledged to intensify practical c𝄹ooperation in the Arctic. This forms part of a deepening strategic p🌺artnership that challenges our values and interests,” Stoltenberg said.
He also noted climate change is making the Arctic mor🎃e accessible for militaries and welcomed Canada's recent announcement that it will bolster its spend🅰ing on defence.
Canadian Priꦦme Minis🦋ter Justin Trudeau, who accompanied Stoltenberg, showcased some of the spending and activities that Canada is making in the north.
Those include prom🃏ises to allocate billions of dollars for new military equipment and capabilities, including plans to purchas꧑e new fighter jets and modernise North America's aging NORAD early-warning system with Washington.
"The ill-fated, unjustifiable decision of Russia to upend nearly 70 years of peace and sꦇtability of a rules-based order by invading a peaceful neighbour, has chang✤ed the way we need to look at the Arctic,” Trudeau said, alluding to the Russian attack on Ukraine.
