Select committee: Defence Committee
Conclusion 1
2nd Report - Defence in the High North
Published 22 Oct 2026
Addressed to Ministry of Defence
Defence Committee Defence in the High North All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
As the Northern Sea Route becomes more accessible, Russia may seek to turn its control of the route into a de facto monopoly. A transit by a UK state-owned vessel through international waters could help uphold freedom of navigation rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, but this action would need to be carefully assessed against the operational and escalatory risks. (Conclusion, Paragraph 16)
From: Defence Committee, 2nd Report - Defence in the High North (HC 71), 22 October 2026
Government response
Government response awaited: deadline 22 December 2026.