Arctic Discourse and Political Beliefs Examined
Heads up: Here's a fresh take on a recent study, "Arctic Narratives and Political Values: Arctic States, China, NATO, and the EU," published by Troy Bouffard and associates, courtesy of the NATO StratCom Centre of Excellence.
Russia's full-scale attack on Ukraine, starting in February 2022, has sent tremors throughout the Arctic. Though Moscow hasn't declared any ambition for military conquest in neighboring Arctic countries, its hostile actions towards Ukraine have made the world question Russia's commitment to peace in the Arctic. The mounting international tensions, in turn, have caused NATO allies to reassess geopolitical threats, responsibilities, and potential for deeper collaboration among Arctic partners.
The great powers' resurgent competition and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine have crystalized the fact that Arctic states, including Russia, are not ideologically aligned and are engaged in competition for global legitimacy. The brutal escalation of the war in Ukraine prompted other Arctic states to ratchet up diplomatic and economic sanctions against Russia, sabotaging the regional Arctic governance framework. The most direct Western actions have been to break off ties with Moscow in various regional governance forums featuring Russia, including the Arctic Council, the Euro-Barents Arctic Council, and the Arctic Coast Guard Forum. Economically, Western interests have pulled out of Arctic investment projects in Russia, such as developments on the Northern Sea Route and key oil and gas initiatives. While Russia attempts to shield the Arctic from the ripple effects of its war, it has weaponized energy and food exports as coercive tools in global politics, while simultaneously courtshiping non-Arctic partners, particularly China, to advance regional development agendas. With Putin predicting in December 2022 that the war may last for the long haul, experts foresee that peace in the Arctic will remain elusive for some time.
Take a gander at the study, sponsored by the NATO StratCom Centre of Excellence, right here**.
Troy Bouffard serves as the director of the Center for Arctic Security and Resilience at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and is an MWI research fellow. P. Whitney Lackenbauer, PhD, is Canada research chair in the study of the Canadian North and a professor at Trent University. Elizabeth Buchanan, PhD, is head of research, Royal Australian Navy. Adam Lajeunesse, PhD, is the Irving Shipbuilding chair in Canadian Arctic marine security policy at St. Francis Xavier University. Marc Lanteigne, PhD, is an associate professor of political science at UiT: The Arctic University of Norway, specializing in China, East Asia, and polar regional politics and international relations. Sergey Sukhankin, PhD, is a senior fellow at the Jamestown Foundation and a postdoctoral fellow with the North American and Arctic Defence and Security Network (Trent University, Canada). The views expressed are the authors' own and do not reflect the stance of the United States Military Academy, Department of the Army, or Department of Defense.
Image credit: Sgt. Antonino Mazzamuto, US Marine Corps
- The newly published study, "Arctic Narratives and Political Values: Arctic States, China, NATO, and the EU," highlights the security implications of war-and-conflicts, particularly the impact of Russia's actions in Ukraine, on defense policies and legislation in the Arctic.
- Politics in the Arctic are being shaped by the growing military tensions and competition for global legitimacy among countries, as demonstrated by the increasing diplomatic and economic sanctions against Russia following its aggression in Ukraine.
- The ongoing war in Ukraine has raised concerns about security and military strategies in the Arctic, leading to discussions about policy-and-legislation, general news, and potential collaborations among Arctic partners to maintain peace and stability in the region.
