EU launches new Arctic strategy targeting raw materials, cables and icebreakers

The European Union unveiled its new Arctic strategy on Tuesday, committing to expand its presence across critical raw materials, icebreakers and undersea cables as geopolitical rivalry in the far north sharpens.

Jozef Sikela, the EU's head of international partnerships, framed the document as a direct response to pressure from both Russia and the United States. "The new reality in the Arctic requires Europe to be a strong and reliable partner," Sikela said, adding that achieving this is precisely what the EU aims to accomplish with its new strategy.

The strategy, whose draft was seen by AFP ahead of publication, also addresses accelerating climate change and its role in opening new maritime routes. As sea ice melts, Russia, China and the United States have stepped up competition for Arctic access and resources — a dynamic the EU says it can no longer observe from the margins.

Sikela said the document "addresses the region's most pressing challenges" from accelerating climate change to growing security and geopolitical tensions, and outlined how Europe should respond to these developments.