The United States and Canada carried out a military exercise in the Bering Sea between September 3 and 5, close to the Russian Far East. According to the Pentagon, the drills were designed as a rapid deployment of binational forces to counter what Washington calls “emerging threats in the Arctic.”
The drills, which involved American F-35 stealth fighters and naval assets, were described as a “demonstration of force.” They took place in the strategic waters connecting the Pacific to the Arctic through the Bering Strait. Analysts note that the region is becoming a central theater of global competition as both Russia and China expand their Arctic presence.
US officials voiced particular concern after Chinese research vessels were observed near Alaska earlier in September. Military commanders claimed the ships may have been conducting surveillance missions and even accused them of violating America’s exclusive economic zone. Washington argues that Beijing’s activities in the Arctic signal a broader strategy of intelligence gathering and influence projection.
Putin and Trump Discussed Arctic Cooperation
Despite the show of force, Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that Moscow had discussed Arctic cooperation with US President Donald Trump during their August talks. Putin pointed out that Russian energy company Novatek, alongside European and Asian partners, is expanding LNG projects in the Arctic. “We are discussing with our American partners the possibility of working together, not only in our Arctic zone but also in Alaska,” Putin said.
US Floated Idea of Buying Russian Islands
The joint drills also followed a controversial suggestion by US Army Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Fritz, published on July 28 in Breaking Defense. He proposed that Washington should buy Russia’s Commander Islands, located near Kamchatka, for $15 billion. According to Fritz, such a purchase could block China’s maritime access to the Arctic and would be as strategically valuable as the 1867 purchase of Alaska.
“In the long term, this acquisition could redefine Arctic security dynamics, even if Ukraine and the European Union opposed it initially,” wrote Fritz in his analysis.
