On May 6, 2019, members of the Arctic Council gathered in Rovaniemi, Finland to discuss policies governing the polar region. The meeting included top diplomats from Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States. Despite ambitions to diffuse tensions created by competition over trade routes and access to potential resources, no joint declaration was issued at the meeting's conclusion.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo remained opposed to the inclusion of the term 'climate change' in a joint declaration, instead advocating that the melting ice is creating a pathway for new trade routes that would benefit global shipping.
Secretary of State Pompeo also held a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, warning Russia against the militarization of their Arctic territories. Foreign Minister Lavrov also warned the United States against military action in Venezuela.
