The European Union’s latest Arctic strategy reflects a major change in how Europe views the Arctic, placing much greater emphasis on security, resilience and geopolitical competition. It is the EU’s fifth Arctic policy since 2008 and the first since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 fundamentally disrupted cooperation in the region.
For decades, the Arctic Council served as the main forum for regional cooperation, bringing together eight Arctic states, including Russia. However, much of its work was suspended following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, European governments have become increasingly concerned about Russian activities in the Arctic, including disinformation, GPS interference and threats to critical infrastructure such as pipelines and undersea cables.
The new Arctic strategy identifies four main priorities: strengthening peace, security and resilience; addressing climate change; supporting economic development; and promoting regional and social development for Arctic communities. Although these priorities resemble those of the EU’s 2021 policy, their emphasis has changed significantly.
Security now dominates the strategy. The word “security” appears 52 times, compared with 23 times in the 2021 document. Meanwhile, references to “climate change” have fallen from 30 to 14. This reflects a broader European trend, with countries including France, Germany, Italy and Sweden also giving Arctic security greater prominence.
Climate change remains important, but it is increasingly presented as a security issue. Rather than being the central foundation of EU Arctic policy, warming is described as a threat that can intensify existing security risks and create new challenges for Arctic communities.
Another important feature of the new Arctic strategy is its increased attention to local and Indigenous communities. However, concerns remain about treating Indigenous peoples and other local populations as a single category. Groups such as the Saami Council argue that this can overlook the distinctive rights and interests of Indigenous peoples such as the Sámi.
The EU has also introduced the concept of a “northern neighbourhood.” Rather than establishing a new international organization, this framework is intended to encourage cooperation between the EU and like-minded partners, potentially including Greenland, Norway, Iceland, Canada, the UK and the US. Russia is notably excluded, demonstrating how dramatically Arctic geopolitics have changed.
The concept also suggests that the EU is shifting its geographical attention toward Greenland and the North Atlantic. Cooperation with the US remains possible, although the strategy stresses that partnerships should be predictable and based on shared interests and values.
Perhaps the most significant change is the EU’s recognition that multilateral cooperation can no longer be the sole basis of its Arctic policy. The bloc increasingly emphasizes practical capabilities and infrastructure, including developing European icebreaker-building capacity.
Overall, the new Arctic strategy demonstrates how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has transformed European thinking about the Arctic. Security and geopolitical resilience have moved ahead of climate cooperation and multilateralism. However, climate change, Indigenous rights and the wellbeing of Arctic communities remain fundamental challenges that the EU will need to balance with its growing security priorities.
https://theconversation.com/eus-new-arctic-strategy-signals-shift-in-its-geopolitical-mindset-294978