The Arctic potential: cutting the Gordian knot of EU–Russia relations?

Abstract

ABSTRACT The relationship between the European Union (EU) and Russia in the past 30 years has been complex, encompassing periods of hope, optimism and cooperation but also elements of competition, conflict and complicated geopolitical tensions. There is an omnipresent pattern of intertwined conflict and cooperation that has run through the core of the relationship, until reaching a stalemate following the 2022 Russian aggression in Ukraine. We identify the current state of EU–Russia relations to resemble a Gordian knot or a deeply entrenched and unsolvable problem. Nevertheless, a site where the EU and Russia meet face to face to pursue interests on a plethora of issues is the Arctic. We examine whether the EU–Russia relations have been qualitatively different there, and whether it might hold lessons for cutting the identified Gordian knot. We employ discourse analysis to the official EU documents on the Arctic from the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of the European Union, and examine how Russia has been presented in these documents – as a competitor or a cooperation partner. We discover more cooperation rather than conflict language, indicating the Arctic might hold some lessons about the future EU–Russia relations after a Russian withdrawal from Ukraine.