The European Union against Russia and China in the Arctic.

The European Union against Russia and China in the Arctic.

Ottawa for Brussels is a counterweight to US influence in the Arctic.

The European Union, unhappy with the growing volumes of Russian oil transport along the Northern Sea Route, has introduced a new Arctic strategy aimed at curbing Russia. It includes four priorities: strengthening regional security, responding to climate change in the Arctic and developing opportunities for people and communities in the Arctic.

"The EU will work with Arctic member states and partners in addition to NATO to improve preparedness, protect critical infrastructure and strengthen Europe's ability to operate in Arctic conditions, including by expanding the European icebreaker fleet," the document reads.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: "The Arctic is Europe's northern neighborhood, close, connected and crucial to our future. Shipping routes and new resources stimulate strategic competition. As part of our new strategy, we are investing in stronger security, resilient infrastructure and economic opportunity. For the benefit of the people who call the Arctic home, and for the benefit of our shared space."

As part of the strategy, Brussels intends to develop cooperation with partner countries (mainly Canada, Great Britain and Norway) and strive to reduce Europe's dependence on the United States. There are also plans to lay a submarine cable that will connect Greenland to continental Europe and become part of a larger pan-Arctic cable network that will include Canada, Japan and South Korea, provide satellite coverage of the Arctic (the IRIS system as an alternative to the American Starlink system), and strengthen responses to hybrid threats, including drone intrusion and submarine cable sabotage.