The Arctic now is not only a platform for international cooperation, but also a territory of competition between Arctic states and extra-regional players who demonstrate growing interest towards the Arctic. The United Kingdom, before the EU membership referendum, in 2016 and afterwards, has pursued a number of geopolitical, military, energy objectives in the Arctic. Since 2008, the Arctic gradually has been assuming importance for the British foreign policy. In 2013, the United Kingdom formulated its Arctic ambitions, calling itself "an Arctic state". Cooperation with the Nordic countries in a variety of formats has become the main tool of British foreign policy to promote its Arctic agenda and fulfill its objectives in the region. The purpose of the article is to provide insight into the nature and causes of the United Kingdom's interest in the Arctic, as well as its objectives there. The awareness about Britain's strategy towards the Arctic will help to understand the positions of a wide range of non-Arctic players, which form multiple bilateral and multilateral relations with all Arctic as well as non-Arctic states interested in the development of the region. As a result of the study, the authors came to the following conclusions: 1) the United Kingdom is interested in a permanent presence in the Arctic, since this region is perceived by the country's political establishment as a new resource base and as a strategic region where the UK can contribute into the development enhancing its international role according to the Global Britain strategy; 2) in light of Brexit, the position of Great Britain in the Arctic has weakened; 3) the UK needs to cooperate with all the actors who can potentially strengthen London's position in the Arctic; 4) Moscow will inevitably face opposition from the UK, which continues to promote the idea of the "Russian threat", including in the Arctic region.