— For too long we have treated the Arctic as a remote, isolated area, a frozen zone of cooperation. However, we know that today's reality is completely different, said the Republican senator during a conference organized on Thursday by the Swedish Embassy in the US, the Polish Institute of International Affairs in Washington and the CEPA think tank. As she noted, today the Arctic has become a point of political tension.
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— The change that has occurred in such a dramatic way is disturbing for me, but certainly also for many of our allies. This is not because the Arctic is no longer important, but because of the predictability and credibility of partners. “I hope it's temporary,” she added.
Critical of Donald Trump's policy
Murkowski is known for her criticism of President Donald Trump's Greenland claims. Against the background of tensions caused by his statements about the need to have an island, a visit of a delegation of senators from the Democratic and Republican Parties to Copenhagen was initiated. Together with Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, she also proposed a bill to prevent US troops from occupying or annexing NATO territories, including Greenland.
According to Murkowski, the Arctic should be seen “not as a separate theater of operations, but as the northernmost flank of a united European security architecture that stretches from the North Pole through the Baltic Sea.”
The senator assessed that “Poland is currently one of the most effective and important members of the NATO alliance.” She emphasized that Poland's “involvement in defense spending, exceeding even the highest standards, (…) and the rapid modernization of the armed forces are a model for the entire continent.” – And I hope that the rest of Europe will follow Poland's example – she added.
Poland's leadership in the eastern part of NATO. “He is a pillar”
Murkowski said the U.S. “is proud to command NATO's enhanced forward presence in Poland,” and the service of American soldiers alongside Polish soldiers is testimony to a “very strong and unbreakable bond.” — Poland's leadership is the pillar of the Eastern Flank. “This stability allows us to project power further north,” the Republican senator said.
— It may seem that the Suwałki Isthmus and the GIUK Isthmus (between Greenland, Iceland and Great Britain – PAP) are separated by a large distance, but I think that from the point of view of contemporary strategy, they are inextricably linked – she emphasized.
The GIUK Isthmus is a strategic “gateway” to the Atlantic for Russian submarines, allowing them to bypass the English Channel. During World War II, the GIUK crossing was used by Nazi U-boats.
— The Arctic is the gateway to the North Atlantic and if the Arctic becomes the subject of dispute or control by our adversaries, security in the Baltic region will be immediately threatened. We cannot secure the Baltic Sea if we lose sight of what is happening beyond the Arctic Circle, Murkowski warned.
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She noted that Russia has been militarizing its Northern Fleet over the past decade, reopening Soviet-era bases in the far north. – And these are not just defensive actions. Their aim is to project power in the North Atlantic and destroy the bridge between North America and Europe, said the senator.
“And if we can't move ships and transport supplies across the Atlantic because of threats coming from the Arctic, defending our Baltic allies will become much more difficult,” she warned.
She emphasized that American Arctic interests are directly related to stability in Europe. “We need to increase our presence in the Arctic, not to provoke, but to prevent a vacuum,” Murkowski added.
“My Polish friends, know that your safety is our safety,” she said. — To our European partners: The Arctic is not a distant border, it is our backyard. Therefore, we must continue to invest in capabilities, whether icebreakers, training in winter operations, or underwater surveillance, she emphasized.
— By guaranteeing the security of the Arctic, we secure the North Atlantic. And by securing the North Atlantic, we can ensure that the heart of Europe remains free, whole and at peace, Murkowski added.
