Tensions Grow Between US and Russia Over Jezero
By Christopher Liamfields
Published May 26, 2026
Five years ago, in 2021, NASA's Perseverance rover landed in Jezero Crater, hoping to find signs of long-extinct life. Initial scans of its composition, finding a variety of clays, led to the conclusion that it once was a lake, and thus could have provided life to an ancient ecosystem. This was supported by the rover's discovery of calcium sulfate, an organic compound which may have come from flowing water, on a single rock in the crater. Further research is necessary to determine if this could mean that life has previously existed on Mars.
To commemorate the landing of Perseverance and the flight of the Ingenuity helicopter attached to it in 2021, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) gave Jezero the first extraterrestrial aerodrome identification code: JZRO. In 2025, Jezero Crater was named the first UNESCO Mars Heritage Site, mirroring Earth's World Heritage Sites, due to its historical significance to Martian exploration and travel. Now, both the US and Russia want to claim this Martian landmark as their own.
Tensions arose between the superpowers in February, when both the US and Russia began autonomous rover exploration of Jezero to determine its suitability for human settlement. On March 17, American rover Liberty collided with Russian rover Samara, causing major damage to both. The US claims Russia purposefully attempted to damage the American rover, while Russia has stated that the American rover was moving too erratically for the navigation systems of Samara to avoid. The Sol is unable to find evidence supporting either position.
Over the days after the collision, the US and Russia stationed troops around Jezero to supervise the rovers and prevent military incursion into the crater. Months later, on May 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin published an open letter, offering negotiation with the US over Jezero and further expansion across Mars. American President Donald Trump is set to meet with Putin in Moscow this week, on May 27.
According to a spokesperson for the US Department of State, "[The US is] seeking a peaceful end to the situation, but we will do what is necessary to maintain our sovereignty and preserve Jezero as required by the Mars Heritage Convention." The Sol asked the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
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