The Arctic is a global bellwether for climate change and indigenous peoples' rights and traditions, as well as a "health check" on the durability of international laws and norms. Red Artic challenges the widely held assumption that the Arctic is headed for strategic meltdown, emerging as a theater for a literal (new) Cold War between Russia and the West.

Buchanan explains that Putin's Arctic strategy relies heavily upon international cooperation with foreign energy firms and injections of foreign capital: conflict will be bad for business. Russia needs a "low tension" environment to deliver on Russia's critical economic interests.

Red Arctic charts Arctic strategy under Putin from how it is formulated, what drives it, and where it's going. In cautioning against assumptions of expansionist intent in the region, Buchanan calls for informed judgment of the real drivers of Russian Arctic strategy.