EU unveils strategy to bolster Arctic presence amid pressure from Russia and the US

The European Union (EU) is to unveil plans to bolster its footholdin the Arctic onTuesday, as it grapples with pressure from Russia and the United States in the key strategic region. From critical raw materials to icebreakers and undersea cables, the bloc wants to up its presence in the geopolitical battleground, according to a draft of its new "strategy for the Arctic" seen by AFP. "The new reality in the Arctic requires Europe to be a strong and reliable partner. That is precisely what we aim to achieve with our new strategy," said Jozef Sikela, the EU's head of international partnerships. "It addresses the region's most pressing challenges, from accelerating climate change to growing security and geopolitical tensions, and sets out how Europe should respond." Competition is on the rise in the Arctic as global warming causes sea ice to melt. Countries such as Russia, China and the United States have been ramping up activity – racing to claim natural resources and new maritime routes. Read moreLeaders urge EU to expand Arctic presence amid Russia 'threat' Leaders urge EU to boost Arctic role to tackle Russia 'threat' To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisem...