Many fear that strategic competition between the US and China threatens longstanding regional cooperation and stability in the Arctic. But if they recognise their own political and economic significance and work collectively, the Nordic states and Canada can still play an instrumental role in steering the region’s future away from confrontation. […]
Today, strategic rivalry has returned to the Arctic. Most Arctic states are NATO members and, albeit with some friction and concern for the future, largely continue to engage in security cooperation with the US in the region. But there are avenues for multilateral collaboration where American and Chinese pressure upsets the interests of Arctic states. These include intelligence sharing, promoting an Arctic infrastructure fund, and coherence across investment screening policies to minimise security risks and encourage reciprocity with outside partners. In concert, these policies can be leveraged by Nordic states and Canada to direct, deflect and diminish great power competition. […]
The Nordic states and Canada are not pawns in the Arctic; they are players. But in order to avoid great power competition limiting the region’s development, or even fomenting into military confrontation, they should proactively deepen regional and international cooperation that reinforces their security and development norms. Läs artikel