Norway Seizes Russian Ship in Svalbard
· By Helmut Portmann
Norway’s seizure of a Russian vessel in Svalbard could become a new test of NATO resolve in the Arctic.
Norway has seized a Russian ship, the Professor Molchanov, at the Port of Barentsburg in Svalbard. This was done at the request of Ukraine, drawing the ire of Vladimir Putin. The Russian Foreign Ministry called it “piracy”.
Naftogaz Group, the largest state-owned oil & gas company in Ukraine wants to recover over $4 billion that they were awarded in an international lawsuit as compensation for the Russian seizure of their assets following the 2014 invasion of Crimea.
Following the seizure of the ship, European Union leaders hastily convened to discuss Arctic security, with a strong focus on Russian and Chinese growing interests and activities that pose potential risks to NATO and the EU.
For the first time in its history, the EU will focus on security as the central component of their new Arctic Policy.
In my view, this ship seizure could be precisely the kind excuse that Putin could use to invade Svalbard to reclaim their ship and protect its Russian crew. Once established, Russian occupation of Svalbard would be one approach that Putin could use to test NATO (and U.S.) resolve. Far Fetched? He took Crimea and a large chunk of Ukraine, and NATO is already nervous about further Russian encroachment in Europe.