The EU Commission is coming up with a new strategy for the Arctic after increasing power struggles in the region, says Kaja Kallas.
Security in the Arctic and the increased power rivalry as a result of climate change, which opens up new routes to the north, is the focus of the summit on the Arctic in Finland on Monday.
This is what the EU’s head of foreign affairs, Kaja Kallas, says on arrival at the meeting.
– Russia has reopened military bases in the high north in connection with their missile tests. At the same time, climate change is opening up new maritime routes in the Arctic.
– This means that the increasing power rivalry is really evident in the region, says Kaja Kallas.
At the meeting, she will discuss parts of the EU Commission’s upcoming Arctic strategy with the participants, who include the Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen (S).
However, the summit does not have Greenland directly on the agenda, says Kallas.
– We will probably not directly discuss Greenland, because we are talking about the Arctic more generally.
– But it will certainly come up, and it is important that we show that we stand together on security and climate change, which brings power politics to the region, says Kallas.
She will not yet lift the veil on the EU Commission’s future strategy for the Arctic.
– I cannot publish it now. We will discuss some of the points today, and I also believe that the Finnish Prime Minister will present proposals.
– We must also talk about capacities that are needed in the Arctic. It can be icebreakers, for example, says Kaja Kallas.
The President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, visited Greenland last week together with Mette Frederiksen.
With him, von der Leyen had DKK 1.5 billion in EU support for Greenland. It was seen as part of the EU’s attempt to tie Greenland closer to the continent at a time when both the USA, Russia and China are looking towards Greenland.
In connection with the visit to Greenland last week, the future strategy for the region was also highlighted.
During the visit to Nuuk, EU Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela said:
– The Arctic directly affects Europe both climate-wise, security-wise and economically. Our new strategy must reflect that.
– The previous strategy was primarily about climate and the populations of the Arctic. But the power politics in the world show that we must focus more on security and economic development, said Jozef Síkela.
RITZAU
