Norway’s demilitarized Svalbard archipelago has emerged as a potential target for Russia, as ambiguity surrounding its NATO status could allow Moscow to test the Alliance’s resolve without directly triggering Article 5.
From: Euromaiden Press BY PAUL A. GOBLE
Moscow may target Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, also known as Spitsbergen, in its first direct attack on a NATO country. The ambiguity surrounding Svalbard’s status within the Alliance could divide NATO on whether a Russian move would trigger Article 5, the collective defense clause.
Moscow’s interest in Svalbard, a demilitarized region, has grown because of Norway’s imposition of sanctions, global warming, and Russian concern about defending the western entrance to the Northern Sea Route.
Russian interest in the area has intensified because China has joined Russia in using Svalbard for research, access to Svalbard’s coal has become more important, and a vast privately owned parcel of land is now for sale.
Paul Goble, a former US State Department expert on the countries of the former USSR and ex-CIA analyst, provides a detailed explanation in an article for The Jamestown Foundation.
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