Expert sees conflict between Russia, NATO in Arctic in `next couple of years’ A #Russia-#NATO conflict in the #Arctic may erupt in the next two to three years amid tensions between the two sides, a Russian military expert said. "As regards the potential timeline of this conflict, judging from all papers, delivery times and public statements being made by NATO and US military leaders, that is scheduled for 2030 or later," Alexander Stepanov, program director at the Academy of Political Sciences and senior researcher at the Institute of Latin American Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), wrote. "But given how the situation has been evolving of late, the high intensity and escalation of tensions, that [#conflict] may occur there in the next three to three years," he warned.