00:01It's a signal that speaks volumes about Europe's intentions in the Arctic region.
00:06Last week, the European Commission proposed doubling its financial support for Greenland as part of the next European budget.
00:13This area around the North Pole has become a focal point of global commercial and geopolitical interests.
00:20The melting of the ice caused by global warming is reshuffling the political landscape and could bring Europe closer to Asia.
00:27The trade route in the north is much more convenient from Beijing to Rotterdam rather than the classic one that passes through the Malacca Strait and the Suez Canal and the Gulf of Aden, which is, of course, like 30 to 50 percent longer.
00:42It takes 14 to 20 days more than the Arctic route.
00:47But this route is not as open as it seems.
00:4953 percent of this northern sea route runs alongside Russia, which is seeking to extend its exclusive economic zone.
00:57Additionally, this region is home to the Russian northern fleet.
01:01Since the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine, tensions in the Arctic have escalated significantly.
01:07In order to defend its interests, the EU therefore cannot solely rely on member states in the region.
01:12Think about underwater infrastructure, such as fiber optical cables.
01:18It's easy to understand why being present in the region is so important.
01:23Think about Greenland or other territories in the region as platforms that make it possible to establish the so-called system of early warnings or even to deploy aerial, naval or even robotics units directly in the Arctic.
01:41The EU is seeking to strike a balance between commercial openness and strategic protection.
01:47But access to the Arctic's hydrocarbons is also at stake for the bloc.
01:52According to estimates, the region holds 13 percent of undiscovered oil reserves and 30 percent of gas reserves.
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