Arctic region policies of the United States and Russian Federation in the context of geopolitical shift

In this study, after discussing the changing geopolitical position of the Arctic region which has been in a marginal position on the international relations agenda until recent years within the framework of the geopolitical shift, the policies of the United States of America and the Russian Federation towards the region are examined. Geopolitical shifts symbolize the changes in the position of geographical regions in international politics as a result of geopolitical and geostrategic changes. Arctic region is rich in terms of underground mineral resources, fisheries and unexplored hydrocarbon resources in the world. The Arctic is warming faster than any other region on Earth. The geopolitical importance of the region will increase in the near future due to factors such as estimated high amounts of hydrocarbon resources and the emergence of new transportation routes which are more beneficial in terms of time and economic cost compared to traditional sea routes. Many international actors from within and outside the region update their policies towards the region during the geopolitical shift in the Arctic region. The study consists of three parts including the introduction. In the first chapter, the theoretical framework, in the second chapter, the history, geographical borders and actors of the Arctic region, and in the third chapter, the regional policies of the USA and Russia are examined. In the conclusion part, general evaluations have been made based on the data obtained.