EU President Von Der Leyen: "Arctic At Center of European Security and Independence"

In keynote address at the 77th Nordic Council Summit in Stockholm this week European Commission President von der Leyen gave a sweeping speech about the new era of competitive geopolitics and the role of the Nordics and Europe in it.

“The global order is fraying. The Nordics stand right at the frontier of it,” she began her remarks. 

Across the speech the Arctic saw more than a dozen mentions, more than even Russia.

“Make no mistake, the Arctic's economic strength is key to Europe's strategic independence,” von der Leyen asserted.

Climate change

She drew a direct connection between the impact of climate change in the Arctic and the changing geopolitics in the region.

“Nowhere are the forces of nature and geopolitics clashing with more intensity than in the Arctic. That region is warming four times faster than the rest of the planet. Its eternal ice – that is, the protective shield of our Earth – is melting at record speed. And as the ice retreats, the Arctic is moving ever closer to the centre of global geopolitics,” she continued.

The President referenced a number of recent key events in the Arctic, including China’s recent containership voyage to the UK and Russia expanding its military bases to secure access to the Northern Sea Route. Both events have been extensively covered by HNN. 

“Earlier this month, for the first time ever, a Chinese container ship has reached Europe by cutting through the Arctic.

Russia is reopening Soviet-era bases and asserting control over the Northern Sea Route. In response, we Europeans need a new mindset,” she urged.

EU revising its Arctic policy

Von der Leyen announced the EU was in the process of reviewing its Arctic policy to “make it fit for our time.”

The EU’s engagement in the Arctic has evolved significantly since its first policy communication in 2008, which laid out three main objectives: protect and preserve the Arctic in collaboration with local people; promote sustainable use of the region’s resources; and encourage international cooperation.

That policy made little mention of security or the region’s geopolitics.

Pre-date Crimea

Four years later the EU published a review of its progress and clarified its increasing interest in the region, particularly in light of climate-change impacts, shipping route shifts and growing resource competition.

Both documents pre-date Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Most recently in October 2021 the EU published an updated policy—titled “A stronger EU engagement for a peaceful, sustainable and prosperous Arctic”—which for the first time placed greater emphasis on the region’s geopolitics, security, blue economy, Indigenous communities, and the link to the European Green Deal. 

The upcoming revision will be the first following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago. 

Greenland and resources

Von der Leyen also highlighted the importance of Greenland echoing comments made by U.S. President Trump about the island nation's growing strategic importance.

“Yes, global warming brings new and dangerous risks to the Arctic. But it also brings new responsibilities, and new opportunities. Take critical raw materials. Greenland alone holds 25 of the 34 critical materials that Europe needs – a treasure locked beneath ice and rock,” von der Leyen highlighted.

“Europe must be more proactive and more invested in the region.”