Rubio to Tour Europe to Boost Washington's Influence in the Arctic

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is heading to Iceland next week, as well as to Greece and Portugal, according to an announcement by the US Department today, Thursday.

The moves by US Secretary Rubio come as he seeks to boost the United States' diplomatic momentum in the Arctic after the agreement concerning Greenland.

A statement from the State Department, cited by "AFP," clarified that Rubio will meet with Icelandic officials in Reykjavik "to discuss economic and security cooperation" between the two countries.

This visit comes just days after a security agreement regarding Greenland was concluded last week in New York, ending a series of disputes that had strained relations with the European Union.

Under this agreement, Washington intends to establish two new military bases in Greenland, cementing the position of the self-governing Danish territory within the American sphere, following Donald Trump's threats to annex it.

With rising tensions in the Arctic, Iceland has regained major strategic importance; however, the island nation, which has no army, still relies heavily on the United States to ensure its security, as well as on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

US President Donald Trump sparked new controversy in early September by publishing a "map" in which the American flag covered all of North America, Mexico, the Caribbean islands, Greenland, and Iceland.

Iceland responded by summoning the US Ambassador in Reykjavik "to clearly inform him that this image is entirely inappropriate."

Rubio's visit also follows a referendum held in late August, in which 52.8% of Icelanders voted against resuming negotiations for the island's accession to the European Union, frozen since 2013, while 47.2% supported it.

Afterwards, Marco Rubio will travel to Athens to participate in a "strategic dialogue" where regional security and energy security are key topics. The Portuguese capital, Lisbon, will be the final stop in Rubio's tour.