Polar Geopolitics - Arctic and Antarctic analysis

Far North Frontier of NATO–Russia Tensions: Svalbard's Deterrence Gap with Prof. Katarzyna Zysk

Situated near Russia’s Kola Peninsula—home to the Northern Fleet and a core component of Russia’s sea-based nuclear deterrent, including ballistic-missile submarines—the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard lies within the perimeter of Moscow’s Arctic bastion defence and has become an increasingly important potential flashpoint in the context of heightened NATO–Russia tensions. In this episode, Prof. Katarzyna Zysk discusses her article “Svalbard’s Deterrence Gap” and examines recent Russian hybrid activities in Svalbard, Russia’s evolving military posture in the Arctic and Baltic regions since the invasion of Ukraine, and how NATO can bridge Svalbard’s emerging deterrence gap. The discussion also includes the implications of growing Russia–China cooperation for Svalbard and the Arctic, and considers how the eventual end of the war in Ukraine could reshape security dynamics across Northern Europe. Also discussed is the recent NATO exercise Cold Response that Prof. Zysk participated in. Polar Geopolitics on Twitter / X: @polargeopol Polar Geopolitics on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/polargeopolitics [https://www.linkedin.com/company/polargeopolitics] Polar Geopolitics on SubStack: https://polargeopolitics.substack.com/ [https://polargeopolitics.substack.com/]  Polar Geopolitics YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PolarGeopolitics [https://www.youtube.com/@PolarGeopolitics]    Polar Geopolitics on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/polargeopolitics/ [https://www.facebook.com/polargeopolitics/] Polar Geopolitics website: http://www.polargeopolitics.com [http://www.polargeopolitics.com/] Polar Geopolitics on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/polargeopolitics [https://www.patreon.com/polargeopolitics] Polar Geopolitics on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KXUVZKGALMFXU [https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KXUVZKGALMFXU]

Arctic Security in the Hypersonic Age: Golden Dome, Greenland and Transatlantic Arctic relations with Dr. Troy Bouffard

The strategic location of Greenland within the proposed Golden Dome missle defense system has been one of the Trump Administration’s main arguments for acquiring the massive Arctic island. To explain how the futuristic system would work, and why Greenland and the Arctic are crucial for protecting North America against ballistic and hypersonic cruise missles, Dr. Troy Bouffard, director of the University of Alaska-Fairbanks Center for Arctic Security and Resilience, joins the podcast. He also discusses the strained—yet in some sectors stable—state of US-European and US-Canadian relations, the indispensible role of NORAD, and the great importance of recent NATO activities like Arctic Sentry and Cold Response for maintaining strong Transatlantic ties for Arctic security in turbulent times. Polar Geopolitics on Twitter / X: @polargeopol Polar Geopolitics on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/polargeopolitics [https://www.linkedin.com/company/polargeopolitics] Polar Geopolitics on SubStack: https://polargeopolitics.substack.com/ [https://polargeopolitics.substack.com/]  Polar Geopolitics YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PolarGeopolitics [https://www.youtube.com/@PolarGeopolitics]    Polar Geopolitics on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/polargeopolitics/ [https://www.facebook.com/polargeopolitics/] Polar Geopolitics website: http://www.polargeopolitics.com [http://www.polargeopolitics.com/] Polar Geopolitics on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/polargeopolitics [https://www.patreon.com/polargeopolitics] Polar Geopolitics on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KXUVZKGALMFXU [https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KXUVZKGALMFXU]

Greenland’s critical raw material potential and China’s current interest in the Arctic

Greenland’s substantial reserves of rare earth elements and other critical raw materials have become a prominent aspect of geopolitical posturing in the Arctic. For many observers, the Trump administration’s interest in acquiring Greenland has been driven in large part by a desire to secure access to strategic minerals and reduce U.S. dependence on Chinese supply chains. The European Union likewise sees Arctic natural resources as a means for reducing dependency on China. But how viable is large-scale resource development in Greenland? What political, economic, environmental and logistical obstacles stand in the way? And how significant is China’s current Arctic engagement compared to several years ago when it actively pursued mining ventures, infrastructure investments, and scientific cooperation across Greenland and the wider region? In this special episode of Polar Geopolitics, recorded at the Arctic Frontiers conference, we explore these questions with two leading experts. Gørild Heggelund, Research Professor and China specialist at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, and Nick Bæk Heilmann, Senior Associate at Kaya Partners in Copenhagen, offer insights into Greenland’s resource potential, the strategic competition surrounding critical minerals, and the evolving role of China in the Arctic. Polar Geopolitics on Twitter / X: @polargeopol Polar Geopolitics on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/polargeopolitics [https://www.linkedin.com/company/polargeopolitics] Polar Geopolitics on SubStack: https://polargeopolitics.substack.com/ [https://polargeopolitics.substack.com/]  Polar Geopolitics YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PolarGeopolitics [https://www.youtube.com/@PolarGeopolitics]    Polar Geopolitics on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/polargeopolitics/ [https://www.facebook.com/polargeopolitics/] Polar Geopolitics website: http://www.polargeopolitics.com [http://www.polargeopolitics.com/] Polar Geopolitics on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/polargeopolitics [https://www.patreon.com/polargeopolitics] Polar Geopolitics on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KXUVZKGALMFXU [https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KXUVZKGALMFXU]

The European Union as emerging geopolitical player in the Arctic

The emphatic European response to the Greenland Crisis has made clear its growing interest in the Arctic at a time when the European Union is working on an updated Arctic policy. How will a radically altered geopolitical environment influence EU policy, what role does the Arctic play in Europe’s relationship with the United States, and has the crisis created an opportunity for the EU to reassert itself in a region sometimes seen as an arena of Great Power Competition between the US, Russia and China? To discuss these and related topics, Dr. Andreas Raspotnik, Senior Researcher at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute and a specialist in European Union’s interests and policies in the Arctic, joins the podcast in a special episode recorded live on location at the Arctic Frontiers conference in Tromsø, Norway.   Polar Geopolitics on Twitter / X: @polargeopol Polar Geopolitics on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/polargeopolitics [https://www.linkedin.com/company/polargeopolitics] Polar Geopolitics on SubStack: https://polargeopolitics.substack.com/ [https://polargeopolitics.substack.com/]  Polar Geopolitics YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PolarGeopolitics [https://www.youtube.com/@PolarGeopolitics]    Polar Geopolitics on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/polargeopolitics/ [https://www.facebook.com/polargeopolitics/] Polar Geopolitics website: http://www.polargeopolitics.com [http://www.polargeopolitics.com/] Polar Geopolitics on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/polargeopolitics [https://www.patreon.com/polargeopolitics] Polar Geopolitics on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KXUVZKGALMFXU [https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KXUVZKGALMFXU]

Arctic megatrends: Klaus Dodds and Gosia Smieszek-Rice on the geopolitical forces shaping the future of the circumpolar North

From the definitive end of Arctic exceptionalism to the long-term implications of the Greenland Crisis, Prof. Klaus Dodds and Dr. Gosia Smieszek-Rice engage in a big picture discussion on Arctic megatrends that are shaping the geopolitical future of the circumpolar North. Has the “Global Arctic” of a decade ago been replaced by a new era of Great Power Competition in which Europe finds itself in a “crush zone” between Russia, China and the United States? Can the Arctic Council ever return to its previous role as a forum for international cooperation, science diplomacy and the participation of indigenous peoples’ organizations in Arctic governance? This is one of the most informative and insightful episodes since the Polar Geopolitics podcast started in 2018. It was recorded live on location at the Arctic Frontiers conference in Tromsø, Norway. Polar Geopolitics on Twitter / X: @polargeopol Polar Geopolitics on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/polargeopolitics [https://www.linkedin.com/company/polargeopolitics] Polar Geopolitics on SubStack: https://polargeopolitics.substack.com/ [https://polargeopolitics.substack.com/]  Polar Geopolitics YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PolarGeopolitics [https://www.youtube.com/@PolarGeopolitics]    Polar Geopolitics on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/polargeopolitics/ [https://www.facebook.com/polargeopolitics/] Polar Geopolitics website: http://www.polargeopolitics.com [http://www.polargeopolitics.com/] Polar Geopolitics on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/polargeopolitics [https://www.patreon.com/polargeopolitics] Polar Geopolitics on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KXUVZKGALMFXU [https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KXUVZKGALMFXU]