Great Power, Arctic Power: Russia’s engagement in the High North

Abstract:

Russia has attracted attention of late for two quite different Arctic e orts – the planting of a Russian flag on the seabed under the North Pole and the resolution of the delimitation issue in the Barents Sea with Norway. The contrast between the two events is striking. While the flag planting brings to mind the patriotic pursuit of national interest and an imagery of the old-fashioned land grab, the process around the delimitation agreement is replete with an assiduous attention to international law and overtones of good neighborliness.