The UK's defense sector is showing renewed interest in the Arctic region.

Key Chapter Title List

1. Overall Trends in the Arctic Region
2. Climate Change, Natural Resources, and the Opening of Trade Routes
3. A New Era of Competition Rather Than Cooperation?
4. Russia's Priorities in the Arctic
5. United States' Priorities in the Arctic
6. China's Role in the Arctic
7. NATO and the "High North" Region
8. The Relevance of the Arctic to UK National Security Interests
9. UK Defense Strategy and Capabilities
10. The Upcoming Strategic Defense Review

Document Introduction

This report is a research briefing published by the UK House of Commons Library in May 2025, aiming to systematically analyze the geopolitical transformation underway in the Arctic region and its profound implications for UK defense and security policy. The report notes that the Arctic is shifting from a "High North, low tension" area of collaboration to a focal point of intensifying great power competition and militarization. The fundamental driver of this transformation stems from climate change-induced ice melt, which not only opens new shipping routes and economic opportunities, particularly access to critical mineral resources like rare earth elements, but also significantly elevates the region's strategic and military value.

The report is rigorously structured, first outlining the overall trends in the Arctic region, including the accelerated impacts of climate change (the Arctic is warming four times faster than the global average), abundant reserves of oil, gas, and critical mineral resources, and new trade passages becoming increasingly viable due to receding sea ice, such as the Northern Sea Route. Subsequently, the report delves into the strategies and activities of key actors in the region: Russia views its Arctic interests as central to national security, continuously strengthening its Northern Fleet and upgrading military infrastructure; the United States, while seeking peace and stability in the region, demonstrated strong interest in Greenland and pushed for resource development in Alaska during Trump's second term; China, self-identifying as a "near-Arctic state," seeks strategic interests in resource access and Arctic shipping lanes through cooperation with Russia; and NATO views the "High North" as crucial for collective defense, enhancing its geopolitical position in the region following the accession of Finland and Sweden.

For the United Kingdom, the report emphasizes that while the UK is not an Arctic state, it considers itself the "Arctic's nearest neighbor," and developments in the Arctic have direct consequences for Euro-Atlantic security and the UK's position. The security of the Greenland-Iceland-UK Gap is of particular strategic importance to the UK, serving as a key passage for Russia's Northern Fleet into the North Atlantic and a vital route for transatlantic submarine cables. However, the UK Ministry of Defence does not maintain capabilities or forces dedicated to "High North" defense, instead relying on cross-service assets to project power when needed and collaborating with allies through multilateral frameworks such as NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force. Relevant committees in the UK House of Lords have expressed concern over the UK's lack of dedicated capabilities for Arctic operations and insufficient resources to maintain a meaningful regional security presence.

Finally, the report mentions that the UK Labour government, upon taking office in July 2024, initiated a new Strategic Defense Review, with a report expected in spring 2025. Although the review's terms of reference do not explicitly mention the "High North," it will examine options for "enhancing homeland security." The UK government states that the Strategic Defense Review will set the strategic direction for defense over the next decade, and the UK is committed to maintaining a coherent defense posture in the region, defending and supporting allies when necessary, while countering malign and destabilizing actions that threaten the interests of the UK and its allies. This briefing, based on extensive open-source materials, government documents, and think-tank analyses, provides a comprehensive and timely assessment of Arctic security dynamics and UK policy options for parliamentarians, policymakers, and specialist researchers.