Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has also revolutionised Arctic cooperation in an unprecedented way. Arctic cooperation is in a completely new situation, and there is no clear way forward. Geopolitics tramped onto the Arctic scene, demanding attention. Many of the basic assumptions of Finland’s Arctic policy strategy, drafted only one and a half years ago, have been undermined by the upheavals caused by the Russian war of aggression.

At the same time, the impacts of climate change, especially in the Arctic, are becoming increasingly visible and imposing requirements for accelerated climate action, particularly measures to strengthen the resilience of the region. In this context, the need to replace Russian energy may accelerate the green transition in the West, but the pressure to exploit Arctic resources will also increase further.

This report is a background study on Arctic policy commissioned by the Prime Minister’s Office for analysis and situational picture of Finland’s Arctic policy. The results of the survey will serve as a basis for monitoring the objectives of the Arctic Policy Strategy and for drawing up a situational picture in the government negotiations. The starting point of the mandate is to outline the potential impact of the Russian Attack War on international cooperation in the Arctic region and on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals as a whole. The report presents the positioning of international and national Arctic policies in this new context.