The strategic importance of the Аrctic in the arctic regions of Еurope

• Nadezhda A. Butakova

  Nadezhda A. Butakova. St. Petersburg State Maritime Technical University. St. Petersburg. Russia

Abstract. If there are some common interests between the European Union and Russia, they lie in the field of energy, the environment and migration. The Arctic connects the EU to its two main energy suppliers from Norway and Russia. The EU, Norway and Russia are also linked by common efforts to protect the Arctic environment. Moreover, the recent migration crisis in Europe has not only shaken the foundations of the Schengen Agreement, but also increased tension between Norway and Russia, especially at their borders. This article analyzes the common viewpoints of these three main parties on current Arctic issues. Energy exploitation and distribution, environmental protection and migration flows are new geopolitical elements of the European Arctic. Geopolitical analysis is crucial to identify important underlying issues that could lead to political, military, or economic destabilization if ignored. The paper considers the international legal regulation in the Arctic region. It also reasons the necessity of making global international legal decisions on the implementation of economic activities in this region. The article determines the political significance of the Arctic region in the Arctic countries. The complexity of this determination depends on the use of one or another approach, namely the application of universal international legal norms and rules to this area or the granting of a special status to this territory.

Keywords: Arctic, energy, environment, migration, geopolitics, Russia, Norway, the EU.