What is the Arctic for the European Union?

In this episode of What’s New, host Serafima Andreeva speaks with Andreas Raspotnik, Director of the High North Center for Business and Governance and senior researcher affiliated with the Fridtjof Nansen Institute and The Arctic Institute, about the evolution of EU Arctic policy and what Brussels can realistically achieve in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.

The conversation traces the EU’s Arctic engagement from the 2008 Joint Communication to the 2021 strategy for a “peaceful, sustainable and prosperous Arctic,” and the ongoing update expected later this year. Raspotnik explains how EU Arctic policy operates as an umbrella over fragmented competences, with fisheries at the supranational level, foreign and security policy largely in member state hands, and growing tensions between climate ambition and geopolitical urgency.

Greenland and critical minerals sit at the heart of the debate. As Europe seeks strategic autonomy and reduced dependency on China and Russia, the Arctic is increasingly viewed as a source of rare earths and other resources central to the green transition. Yet the EU cannot compel companies to invest, nor can it act as a traditional hard power.

The episode also examines the controversies that have shaped EU-Arctic relations, from the seal products ban to proposals for oil and gas moratoria, and asks whether Brussels risks overextension. With security now expected to feature more prominently in the upcoming policy revision, including references to Arctic security debates raised at Arctic Frontiers in Tromsø, the EU faces a structural question: how far can it move into hard security when defence remains a member state competence?

Raspotnik argues for a practical shift. The European Arctic could be treated as a European neighbourhood alongside the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe. That would require more institutional capacity in Brussels and a deeper understanding of Arctic societies and economies before regulatory decisions are made.

In this episode of What’s New, Serafima Andreeva speaks with Guðbjörg Ríkey Th. Hauksdóttir about Iceland’s evolving role in Arctic geopolitics. The conversation explores how Iceland has shifted from viewing the Arctic primarily as an economic opportunity to treating it as a core security concern shaped by great-power competition.

The episode examines Iceland’s unique position as a founding member of NATO without a standing military, and its long-standing reliance on the United States for defence under the 1951 bilateral agreement. Ríkey explains how military infrastructure and allied presence have expanded in recent years, while public trust has been tested by growing geopolitical uncertainty and shifting US rhetoric.

The discussion also covers Iceland’s limited but sensitive relationship with Russia, the domestic debate over sanctions following the 2014 and 2022 crises, and the strong public consensus in support of Ukraine. A central focus is Iceland’s relationship with China, including cooperation on geothermal energy, Arctic research, and the controversial Aurora Borealis Research Station in northeast Iceland. The episode unpacks concerns around dual-use research, intelligence risks, and the challenges Iceland faces in assessing such threats with limited domestic expertise.

Finally, the episode reflects on Iceland’s late embrace of an Arctic identity following the 2006 closure of the US base and the 2008 financial crisis. Ríkey argues that strengthening national expertise on Arctic security and resilience is now essential as political, economic, and security domains in the Arctic become increasingly intertwined.

In this episode of What’s New?, Serafima Andreeva speaks with Iselin Nemeth Winther from the Fridtjof Nansen Institute about how Norway understands and navigates the Arctic today.

The conversation begins by clarifying that the Arctic is not a remote periphery for Norway, but an integrated part of the country. Nearly nine per cent of the population lives in the Norwegian Arctic, which includes cities such as Tromsø, Bodø, and Kirkenes, as well as universities, hospitals, and transport infrastructure. Compared to many other Arctic countries, Norway’s north closely resembles the rest of the country in terms of governance and everyday life.

The episode then explores how the Arctic has become a centrepiece of Norwegian foreign policy. Large maritime zones in the north give Norway international weight and make the region economically and strategically important. As a result, the Arctic functions both as a domestic region and as a key arena for international politics.

Security is a central theme throughout the discussion. Norway’s border with Russia and its proximity to Russian nuclear forces on the Kola Peninsula make the region strategically significant for both Norway and NATO. While Finland and Sweden’s NATO accession has strengthened the Alliance, Norway’s role remains distinct, with a long-standing focus on the maritime domain in the Barents Sea and the North Atlantic. Norwegian policymakers often describe the country as NATO’s eyes and ears in the High North.

The episode also examines Norway’s new High North strategy, which places greater emphasis on security than earlier policies. This includes both military concerns and a broader understanding of security that encompasses infrastructure, transport, total preparedness, and population. The strategy marks a shift by explicitly identifying China as a factor of concern in the Arctic.

A key part of the discussion focuses on Norwegian-Russian fisheries cooperation, one of the few areas of continued cooperation after 2022. The episode explains why the joint management of the world’s largest cod stock remains vital, how EU sanctions on Russian fishing companies have affected the agreement, and why Norway cannot easily step away without long-term consequences for sustainability.

The conversation concludes by addressing Norway’s broader dilemma in the Arctic. Norway depends on the United States for security, must manage relations with Russia, and at the same time seeks closer cooperation with Nordic partners, the EU, and other like-minded countries. The episode ends with a reminder that while political dynamics change, the Arctic, its ecosystems, and its long-term challenges will remain.