Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has fundamentally changed the geopolitical environment for Germany’s Arctic policy. The vision of the North Pole as a pole of peace has been seriously undermined. Although Germany is not an Arctic State, it has significant and long-standing interests in the region. Scientific research, informing German Arctic policy, plays a central role in Germany’s Arctic engagement. Thanks to its observer status in the Arctic Council since 1998, Germany contributes to the scientific and environmental work of the Council working groups. Overall, the objective of German Arctic policy is to support peaceful cooperation, sustainability and the respect of international law. Cooperation between the West and Russia in Arctic research has been a mainstay of “Arctic exceptionalism” since the end of the Cold War.
Author: Volker RACHOLD for POLAR WATCH.
This article is available on the Cercle Polaire website.
The French version is available here.
