Russia has advanced unlawful maritime claims in the Arctic – Blinken

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends a meeting with Icelandic foreign minister at the Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik, Iceland, May 18, 2021. Saul Loeb/Pool via REUTERS

REYKJAVIK — Russia has advanced unlawful maritime claims in the Arctic region, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday as he reiterated calls to avoid militarization of the region.

“We’ve seen Russia advance unlawful maritime claims, particularly, its regulation of foreign vessels transiting the Northern Sea route, which are inconsistent with international law,” Blinken said.

The comments were made at a joint briefing with Iceland’s foreign minister in Reykjavik.