Arctic News and Analysis
The European Union published its updated Arctic strategy paper this month. The document reflects the new security realities facing the EU in the north, but also a larger toolbox of solutions which the Union seeks to use in response.
The 2026 Arctic Circle Assembly saw a major boost in participation, but its size also illustrated how many 'Arctics' are now openly competing for space and attention.
With chokepoints, energy, and supply lines now being the talk of many policymakers in light of the ongoing conflict in Iran, how are debates about the Arctic as an economic corridor being revived, and by whom?
This year's Arctic Circle Assembly conference in Reykjavík illustrated growing concerns about security and geopolitics in the high north. At the same time, the reduced presence of some major country delegations, and questions about the future of the ACA within Arctic policymaking, add to the questions about the role of 'Track II' diplomacy in the Arctic under the difficult political conditions seen today.
Svalbard continues to see itself in the middle of rapidly changing geopolitics throughout the Arctic. Norway has been seeking to strengthen its sovereignty in the archipelago, but pushback in the form of Russian and Chinese alternative narratives is becoming more difficult to ignore.
