Cold Hard Truths: Arctic Security in a Changing World
From War & Peace by International Crisis Group
March 10, 2026 · 30 min · Season 7 · Episode 6
About this episode
The episode discusses Arctic security and great power competition in the region with a focus on U.S. interests and NATO's plans.
In this episode of War & Peace , Olga is joined by Gabriella Gricius, Senior Fellow at the Arctic Institute and Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Konstanz, to speak about Arctic security and how great power competition is playing out in the High North. They examine U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to acquire Greenland, whether there is any logic behind the idea that the U.S. needs to own the island, and if the issue could re-emerge. They discuss NATO’s plans for a greater presence in the High North and the rationale behind its new mission, Arctic Sentry. They explore Russia’s priorities in the Arctic, how its posture is shifting with Finland and Sweden joining the alliance, as well as China’s interests in the region. Finally, they discuss the dilemma European capitals face in responding to unpredictability from both Washington and Moscow in the Arctic and identify where space for cooperation in the region remains. For more, check out our Hold Your Fire! episode “ The Greenland Showdown and Board of Peace at Davos ”, as well as our Europe & Central Asia page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
People in this episode
Guest: Gabriella Gricius
Topics covered
- Arctic security
- great power competition
- NATO
- Russia
- China
- U.S. foreign policy
Keywords
- Greenland
- Arctic Sentry
- European capitals
- cooperation
Mentioned in this episode
Products: Arctic Sentry
Books & works: War & Peace, Hold Your Fire! episode, The Greenland Showdown and Board of Peace at Davos
Places: Arctic, the High North, U.S., Greenland, Russia, Finland, Sweden, China, Washington, Moscow
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