The leaders of the Nordic countries have determined what is the main threat in the Arctic area. Agreement for extended collaboration
The five Nordic countries and Canada agreed on Sunday, in Oslo, to strengthen their cooperation in the Arctic, a strategic region affected by international tensions and targeted by the ambitions of Russia and the United States, reports AFP and Reuters, quoted by Agerpres.
Gathered in the Norwegian capital, the Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Icelandic heads of government and their Canadian counterpart reaffirmed, in a joint statement, their commitment to cooperation and international law “at a time marked by increased geopolitical tensions, war and numerous crises”.
“Given everything that is happening now, the war in Ukraine, the lifting, unfortunately, of sanctions against Russia by the United States and a war in the Middle East, countries like ours must remain united,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a press conference.
The six countries, all NATO members, expressed their determination to strengthen their ties in defense, trade, low-carbon energy, technology and access to mineral resources.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to support Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.
China is causing concern
The region has long been protected by “Arctic exceptionalism”, a concept according to which it operates according to special rules of cooperation, independent of strategic rivalries.
However, tensions have increased between Russia and the West since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, but also because of US President Donald Trump's ambitions regarding Greenland.
“We all face a growing list of challenges: Arctic security challenges, challenges related to the evolving nature of warfare, and challenges arising from the interaction of new technologies and conflicts – both real and virtual – that are moving ever closer to us all,” said Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
This meeting takes place in the context in which approximately 32,000 soldiers from 14 NATO countries, including the United States, are training for combat in extreme cold conditions, as part of the Cold Response exercise in Norway and Finland.
The Nordic and Canadian leaders have determined that Russia represents the main threat to the Arctic. “In the long term, we will also be able to see China,” added Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.
In February, NATO launched the Arctic Sentry mission to bolster security in the region, an initiative aimed at curbing the ambitions of President Donald Trump, who has expressed his desire to annex Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, for national security reasons.
