A battle of words between top Russian and U.S. diplomats last week is the latest sign of rising tensions between superpowers racing to seize Arctic resources made more accessible by climate change. Ministers gathering in the Icelandic capital Reykjavik for a meeting of the Arctic Council werenât due to discuss security. But the issue dominated conversations on the sidelines after Russiaâs Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov declared ahead of the summit that the Arctic âis our land and our waters.â âWe are especially concerned with whatâs going on close to our borders,â Lavrov said on Thursday after journalists asked him about what Russia sees as increased U.S. military activity in the region. âWe are going to undertake necessary measures in order to ensure our security, but our priority is to ensure dialogue.â