Arctic Europe and its Future
By Markku Heikkilä
Since Russia started its aggression against Ukraine, the framework for international cooperation in the Arctic region has changed profoundly. Russia has now withdrawn from the Barents Euro-Arctic Council and the Arctic Council activities have more or less stalled. There is no meaningful circumpolar co-operation left, military preparations are ongoing and the talk of Arctic exceptionalism have ceased. For Arctic Europe, especially the northernmost parts of Finland, Sweden and Norway, this means adapting to a new situation. Cross-border contacts in European North are growing in importance but that is not currently happening under context of Nordic co-operation. Arctic security talk and actions have heavily increased but there have been no new political initiatives or strategies to guide the developments. The Arctic Europe is adjusting to the new realities step by step without coherent plans yet in place.
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