Europe · Wednesday, 21 October 2026
EU unveils new Arctic strategy putting security first amid Russian military buildup and Greenland tensions with the US
The European Commission presented a revised Arctic strategy on Tuesday, led by Ursula von der Leyen and Kaja Kallas, that puts security and resilience ahead of climate and economic goals for the first time. It proposes a maritime security hub to track Arctic shipping, more icebreakers, and a fibre-optic cable linking Greenland to Europe. Kallas cited rising Russian military activity, including drone incursions and cable sabotage, while several measures, among them the Greenland cable, aim to reduce dependence on the United States amid President Trump's repeated calls to take control of the Danish territory.