institute of europe
the institute of europe of the russian academy of sciences
Analytical paper IE RAS No 27, 2026 «Key Difficulties in the Revision of the EU Arctic Strategy»
- 22 June 2026
IE RAS presents Analytical papers of IE RAS No 27, 2026 «Key Difficulties in the Revision of the EU Arctic Strategy» (in Russian) by Roman Zhilin, Junior research associate at the Department of European security, Institute of Europe, Russian Academy of Sciences.
The article examines the European Union’s forthcoming Arctic strategy update that has brought up several interconnected yet often contradictory priorities: strengthening the EU’s role as a facilitator of Arctic dialogue, introducing a more security-oriented agenda, and maintaining a restrictive approach to resource extraction. Particular attention is paid to how these positions relate to the broader limits of the Union’s foreign-policy role in the Arctic. The updated strategy will likely preserve continuity with the 2021 version, while adopting a tougher tone toward Russia. At the same time, the EU is unlikely to move beyond a soft-power presence or to alter the existing balance in the region in a significant way.
