Atlanta, Oct 31 — The United States, Japan and South Korea have signed a memorandum of cooperation involving the Arctic, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, outlining a shared aim of keeping the region open to peaceful commerce and free from coercion.
Speaking at the conclusion of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Atlanta, Rubio said the agreement followed a trilateral meeting with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts.
He placed the initiative among diplomatic engagements held alongside the wider gathering, where energy, supply chains and freedom of navigation were central concerns.
Rubio said the three countries would work to ensure that the Arctic “remains a region free of dominion or coercion and that it instead remains a place of peaceful relations and commerce”.
He did not outline specific projects, funding commitments or an implementation timetable during the press conference. His remarks described the agreement’s broad purpose without setting out its operational provisions.
Separately, Rubio defended an agreement concerning Greenland, saying it addressed US national security concerns and protected the interests of Canada and NATO allies.
A reporter asked about Trump’s characterisation of the arrangement and differing perceptions in Denmark and Greenland. Rubio said he was unfamiliar with the specific comments being cited and had not followed their coverage in Denmark.
“Suffice it to say we have a very good deal. One the president is fully advised of. He understands and is very supportive of.”
Rubio presented the arrangement as building on longstanding US activity in Greenland. He said one of its central purposes was to prevent a potential adversary from gaining access through commercial means in ways that could harm the countries involved.
He said those protections were intended to endure regardless of whether Greenland chose independence or remained part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Rubio said Greenland’s geographical position was central to Trump’s interest in the territory. Its importance, he said, extended beyond missile defence to wider developments in the Arctic.
“It has always played a critical role in national security. It is more pronounced now, not just because of defences against missiles, but because of the Arctic.”
He described the agreement as lasting in perpetuity and said its benefits extended beyond the United States. Canada and other NATO partners also had security interests that the arrangement would protect, he said.
Rubio’s comments came as he sought to emphasise the economic focus of the US G20 presidency. He said the Atlanta meeting had addressed access to energy, critical minerals and reliable supply chains as issues shaping the global economy over decades.
The programme also left room for separate diplomatic discussions. Rubio said countries had used the sidelines for bilateral meetings, while Washington pursued cooperation with partners on issues including maritime security and infrastructure.