The EU unveils a new Arctic strategy as pressure from Russia and the US grows

What the EU plans

• More European icebreakers
• A maritime security hub
• Tracking shadow-fleet vessels
• A cable linking Greenland to Europe

The strategy puts security first and plans more European icebreakers, a maritime security hub to track shadow-fleet vessels and a fibre-optic cable through Greenland.

“The Arctic is one place where the tectonic plates of geopolitics are colliding,” the European Commission president said.

— Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission President

The plan comes nine months after Donald Trump's threats over Greenland, and it carries no new funding.

And us?

The strategy calls for closer ties with Canada, the United Kingdom and Norway, and a long-term undersea cable linking Europe to Japan through Greenland and Canada.