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ICE Pact

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ICE Pact
Icebreaker Collaboration Effort
Finnish President Alexander Stubb, U.S President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
TypeTripartite treaty
Signed11 July 2024 (2024-07-11)
LocationWashington, D.C. United States
Original
signatories
Signatories
Languages

The Icebreaker Collaboration Effort, commonly referred to as the ICE Pact, is a trilateral partnership between the United States, Canada and Finland.[1] The ICE Pact was formed on 11 July 2024 in Washington, D.C.[2] The ICE Pact is a partnership in efforts to bolster shipbuilding capacities and industries, especially the enhancing icebreaker ship production capacity in Finland and Canada, and to counter the influence of the Russian Federation and China in the Arctic region.[3][4]

Geopolitical map of the Arctic region which includes the Arctic circle.

The United States formed the ICE Pact to strengthen the United States Coast Guard and to increase purchases of icebreaker ships by the United States from Finland and Canada.[5][6] Finland and Canada will serve as partners that will sell ships to the United States,[3] Finland will be the main icebreaker ship builder, as Finland has "the know-how".[7] This Icebreaker Collaboration Effort will especially increase the ship-building and maritime industry in Finland, as Finland will be the majority builder of ships within the ICE Pact,[8] as Canada is building eight ships,[3] and approximately 90 total ships are to be built in total.[9]

Background[edit]

See also: Arctic cooperation and politics and Arctic resources race

Following the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine, Finland and Sweden joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Both Finland and Sweden and are members of the Arctic Council and in the Arctic region, however only Finland has become a member of the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort. In response to Finland bordering the Russian Federation and being a "unfriendly nation", Finland has taken effort to increase its military collaboration with NATO allies, especially with members of the Arctic region, such as the Untied States.[10]

The United States of America under Joe Biden has been more hostile towards the Russian Federation than other presidencies in recent history. The United States and Russia have been geopolitical enemies in the Arctic region since the 2014 Annexation of Crimea by Russia, and the United States is more weary of Russian influence in the Far North.[11]

The Russian Federation has had interests in the Arctic, as with increasing temperatures due to global warming, the Russian Federation seeks to exploit resources in the Arctic and to open trade routes in the Far North.[12] China also has had interests in the Arctic for a while, especially since 2013 when China gained a permanent observer status in the Arctic Council,[13] and China seeks to extend military capabilities, conduct research, and wishes to excavate resources in the Arctic.[14]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Finland, US, Canada to intensify icebreaker collaboration". dailyfinland. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  2. ^ Uusi-Hakala, Katja (11 July 2024). "Joint Statement on ICE Pact". Presidentti. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Cecco, Leyland (11 July 2024). "US, Canada and Finland form 'Ice Pact' to project influence into Arctic region". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  4. ^ House, The White (11 July 2024). "Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Polar Partnership "ICE Pact" Alongside Finland and Canada". The White House. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  5. ^ "U.S., Canada and Finland announce joint Icebreaker Collaboration Effort - UPI.com". UPI. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Jäänmurtaja-aloite on Suomelle merkittävä teollisuuspoliittinen mahdollisuus". Valtioneuvosto (in Finnish). 11 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Suomi aloittaa jäänmurtajayhteistyön Yhdysvaltojen ja Kanadan kanssa – taustalla Kiinan toimet arktisella alueella". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 11 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Nato-jäsenyys tuo Suomelle himoitun yhteistyön". www.iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). 11 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  9. ^ "US, Canada, Finland launch effort to build ice-breaking ships as China and Russia cooperate in Arctic". 11 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Puolustusyhteistyösopimus Yhdysvaltain kanssa (DCA)". 5 July 2024.
  11. ^ "International Security Advisory Board: Report on Arctic Policy". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  12. ^ "U.S., Finland and Canada join 'ICE Pact' to counter Russia in Arctic". 12 July 2024.
  13. ^ Buixadé Farré, Albert; Stephenson, Scott R.; Chen, Linling; Czub, Michael; Dai, Ying; Demchev, Denis; Efimov, Yaroslav; Graczyk, Piotr; Grythe, Henrik; Keil, Kathrin; Kivekäs, Niku; Kumar, Naresh; Liu, Nengye; Matelenok, Igor; Myksvoll, Mari (2 October 2014). "Commercial Arctic shipping through the Northeast Passage: routes, resources, governance, technology, and infrastructure". Polar Geography. 37 (4): 298–324. doi:10.1080/1088937X.2014.965769. ISSN 1088-937X.
  14. ^ "How China uses Russia to cement its position as an Arctic superpower". Quartz. 20 April 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
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