there's an organization called the arctic council we need to mention them sort of explain who they are and what you know what we'll have from chair will go from iceland to russia and me this years though we will have russia chairing the arctic council for the next 2 years. hopefully that will be a meeting not only of foreign ministers but also was one kerry in reykjavik and me so all they could exchange views about the future of the arctic hearing are you optimistic from a russian perspective about possible talks between the players in terms of creating a more. rules based future for the region. well i hope so at least when it comes to the climate change issue because there was kind of a wake up all wake up call for russia last year and in the summer of last year when there was a huge these will spill from the facility itself nor ask me go there at russia's biggest producer in siberia and a lot of fuel got into december and rivers and these russia doesn't want to speak about that openly apparently about these happened because of the selling permafrost . because this reservoir where the

there's an organization called the arctic council we need to mention them sort of explain who they are and what you know what we'll get from the chair will go from iceland to russia and me to see your soul we will have russia chairing the arctic council for the next 2 years. hopefully that will be a meeting not only of foreign ministers but also was one kerry in reykjavik and me seoul they could exchange views about the future of the arctic you know you want to mistake from a russian perspective a better possible talks between the players in terms of creating a more. rules based future for the region. well i hope so at least when it comes to the climate change issue because there was kind of a wake up wake up call for russia last year and in the summer of last year when there was a huge these will spill from their facilities often are asked me go there are russia's biggest producer in siberia and a lot of fuel got into december and rivers and these russia doesn't want to speak about that openly apparently about these happened because of the thawing permafrost . because this reservoir w

there's an organization called the arctic council we need to mention them sort of explain who they are and what you know what we'll get from the chair will go from iceland to russia me this year so we will have russia chairing the arctic council for the next 2 years. hopefully that will be a meeting not only of foreign ministers but also was tom carey in reykjavik and me so all they could exchange views about the future of the arctic hearing are you optimistic from a russian perspective about possible talks between the players in terms of creating a more. rules based future for the region. well i hope so at least when it comes to the climate change issue because there was kind of a wake up call wake up call for russia last year and in the summer of last year when there was a huge and these will spill from their facilities of narrow squeak out there at russia's biggest nickel producer in siberia and a lot of fuel got into just had their own rivers and these russia doesn't want to speak about that openly apparently by these happened because of the selling permafrost. because this reservo

there's an organization called the arctic council we need to mention them sort of explain who they are and what you know what we'll get from all the chair will go from iceland to russia and me this year or so we will have russia chairing the arctic council for the next 2 years. hopefully that will be a meeting not only of foreign ministers but also was one kerry in reykjavik and me so all they could exchange views about the future of the arctic hearing are you optimistic from a russian perspective about a possible talks between the players in terms of creating a more. rules based future for the region. well i hope so at least when it comes to 2 the climate change issue because there was kind of a wake up wake up call for russia last year and in the summer of last year when there was a huge these are spill from the facilities of narrow squeak out there at russia's biggest nickel producer in siberia and a lot of fuel got into to siberia and rivers and these russia doesn't want to speak about that openly apparently about these happened because of the thawing permafrost . because this rese

there's an organization called the arctic council we need to mention them sort of explain who they are and what you know what we'll get from chair will go from oslo and to russia in many years so we will have russia chairing the arctic council for the next 2 years. hopefully there will be a meeting not only of the foreign ministers but also was on korea in reykjavik in may so all they could exchange views about the future of the arctic reno are you optimistic from a russian perspective about possible talks between the players in terms of creating a more. rules based future for the region. well i hope so at least when it comes to 2 the climate change issue because there was kind of a wake up call wake up call for russia last year and in the summer of last year. there was a huge these all spill from the facility itself nor ask me go there at russia's biggest nickel producer in siberia and a lot of fuel got into december and rivers and these russian doesn't want to speak about that openly apparently by these happened because of the selling permafrost. because this reservoir where they fee

make sense for us to be working together with russia in the arctic, as we already do with the arctic council? that's quite limited activity in comparison to having a larger kind of commercial cooperation on.g that's an issue i am very interested in. i would like to see us be smarter about sanctions policy with regard to russia. again i didn't not to give anybody the idea that i think we should just be forgiving sanctions on russia right and left. that is by no means what i'm saying because i believe we to continue to be tough on sanctions with regard to crimeae and all other russian ms. behavior including the human rights cases and also the issues we have with cyber attacks on the united states and allies. let's try to be smarter about and that takes a lot of work and a very fine balancing act, but that's i think would be a top priority for me if i were inside that kind of big russia desk in the current administration. >> the issues with china, there are sanctions with china, also people are asked about north korea. one of the places it's very often said those of places we have to cooperatet

make sense for us to be working together with russia in the arctic as we already do with the arctic council? but that is very limited activity compared to a commercial cooperation going on. i would like to see us be smarter about sanctions policy i do not want to give anybody guy did that i think we should be just forgiving sanctions on russia right and left. i do think that we need to continue to be tough on sanctions and all other russian misbehavior including the human rights violations like alexei navalny. but that takes a balancing act. that would be a top priority for me if i was inside the big russia desk in a corrupt administration. director rice: the issues with china are also the sanctions with china, some people asked about north korea and climate change and they said that is a place where we have to cooperate with china but can you comment? fort ticonderoga -- can you comment? >> china is making a huge play in the arctic. norway and finland has been pushing back and they have not been very welcoming to chinese investment, there is a lot at play here but china is becoming a great

make sense for us to be working together with russia in the arctic as we already do with the arctic council? but that is quite limited activities. compared to a commercial cooperation going on. that is an issue i am very interested in. i would like to see us be smarter about sanctions policy i do not want to give anybody guy -- to give anybody the idea that i think we should be forgiving sanctions on russia right left. because i do think that we need to continue to be tough on sanctions with regards to crimea and all other russian misbehavior including the human rights violations like alexei navalny. and also the issues with cyberattack. but let's try to be smarter about it. and that takes a balancing act. that would be a top priority for me if i were inside the kind of big russia desk in a corrupt , administration. -- in the current administration. director rice: the issues with china are also the sanctions with china, some people asked about north korea and climate change and they said that is a place where we have to cooperate with china, but this broad question about china, can you comm

>> as we were talking a little bit before the hearing, i have at experience in arctic council activities when i was with the state department. it is a shame not more americans appreciate and understand the u.s. is an arctic country. i hope we can make more progress on that. i think the arctic energy office is an incredibly important office. we need to work on that. i think there are an awful lot of partnerships the doe already has and can have more of. if you think about the energy challenges communities in alaska face, but also the huge opportunities, whether on critical minerals or elsewhere. if confirmed, i would love to work with you on this further. >> we would love to work with you. we would encourage you to consider a visit when we are all more able to be traveling. many challenges. i would like to work with you again on some of the international arctic policies. thank you, mr. chairman. >> thank you, senator. we have senator hirono. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i ask the following two initial questions to every nominee that comes before every committee in which i sit. have you eve

arctic. >> as we were talking about before the hearing i've had experience in our ticket council activities when i was with the state department. it's a shame that not more americans appreciate and understand that the u.s. is an arctic country. >> we are working on that. >> hopefully we can make progress on that piece and i think the arctic energy office is incredibly important office and it's too small right now and we need to work on that and i think there's an awful lot of partnership that the department of energy already has and can have even more of. if you think of the energy challenge that communities in alaska faces but the huge opportunities whether critical minerals or elsewhere. if confirmed i would love to work with you on this further. >> we would love to work with you and we would encourage you to consider a visit when we are all more able to be traveling but many, many challenges and i would like to work with you again on some of the international policies as well. thank you, mr. chairman. >> thank you, senator. next we have senator her mono. >> thank you, you got the eight r