Add to ORKGIn recent years, and particularly after Russia’s spectacular flag planting on the ocean floor at the North Pole on 2 August 2007, there has been much talk about “polar imperialism” and the danger of a “great game” in the Arctic. This article sheds light on the topic of interstate relations and the long-term conflict potential in the northernmost part of the globe. While recognizing the continued relevance of military power in the Arctic and the presence of a number of unresolved legal disputes, the article argues that Russia and its northern neighbors have a common interest in maintaining regional stability and avoiding a remilitarization of the region. The 1982 Law of the Sea Convention and regional co-operation arrangements such as the Ar...