The Arctic region is increasingly marked by geopolitical tensions. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has drastically altered the relationship with the West, prompting Finland and Sweden to seek NATO membership, thus extending the alliance to seven out of eight Arctic countries. Simultaneously, concerns arise regarding Chinas ‘neutral’ stance in the West-Russia axis and the broader implications for the US-China rivalry for the Arctic.
February 2022 marks a watershed in European history and has led France to advocate for a closer collaboration between EU and NATO. What are the France’s Arctic security interests? And what role can France play in the dynamics of Arctic geopolitics?
This seminar was organized around two pannels:
- Status of Geopolitics and Cooperation in the Arctic: What Has Changed?
- France, NATO, and the EU Nexus