US discussed Russia's use of nuclear icebreakers in Alaska ahead of summit - Reuters
Photo: US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin (GettyImages)
Internal discussions have taken place in the United States over the use of Russian nuclear icebreakers to support the development of gas and LNG projects in Alaska, according to Reuters.
According to Reuters sources, the idea of using Russian icebreakers was discussed as one of the possible deals to be pursued during the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
"The icebreaker idea has been discussed among White House officials as one of the potential deals to try to strike with Russia at the Alaska summit," Reuters reported.
Russia currently operates the world’s only fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers, which play a central role in enabling year-round navigation along the Northern Sea Route, a strategic corridor for global energy and trade flows.
Reuters noted that nuclear icebreakers could also help transport construction materials and equipment to remote parts of Alaska, where infrastructure is limited and weather conditions are harsh.
Alaska summit: what is known
Today, US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are meeting in Anchorage, Alaska. While the main focus of the talks is the war in Ukraine, other issues may also be raised.
Further details on the background of the US–Russia summit in Alaska and what to expect next can be found in a separate analysis by RBC-Ukraine.
