Overview
- The European Commission rolled out an updated Arctic strategy that combines diplomatic, military, infrastructure and investment measures to protect access to the Northern Sea Route.
- The plan calls for new icebreakers and pooled polar vessels, a military monitoring centre to track Russian activity, and better use of Copernicus and Galileo data for Arctic surveillance.
- Brussels proposes a 'sovereign and secure' Greenland–EU submarine cable and IRIS² satellite connectivity to reduce dependence on non-EU systems and harden communications in the High North.
- The strategy signals a policy shift on energy and resources by proposing to ease the EU ban on offshore oil and gas in Arctic waters and to speed projects for critical raw materials.
- Russia has criticised the move as politicising Arctic cooperation and the bloc plans closer work with Canada, Norway and Britain to safeguard shipping routes and counter hybrid threats such as undersea cable sabotage and shadow fleets.