Tromsø, Northern Norway: "Despite the war in Ukraine, Russia is still exercising a level of dominance in the Arctic," says US Senator for Alaska, Lisa Murkowski (R), stating that it is important to show strength towards Russia. Especially now.

Russian President Putin and members of the country’s Security Council deliberated about the Russia’s outer border of the continental shelf in the Arctic. It follows the development of a plan by Russia’s Federal Security Service last month on how to counter foreign provocations in the country’s Arctic claims.

In early March, 10,000 Norwegian and allied soldiers will train to defend Norway in the winter exercise Joint Viking. Soldiers from the US, the Netherlands, and the UK are already preparing and training in Northern Norway.

Tromsø, Northern Norway: On the 11th of May, Norway will take over the chairmanship of the Arctic Council from a locked-out Russia. MFA Anniken Huitfeldt (Labor) plans a smooth transition and says there is some contact with Russia.

U.S. military units conducted a 10-day exercise in near-Arctic conditions to improve readiness to face Russia and China in the region. "We have realized the importance of the Arctic", says Army General Hokanson while visiting the training grounds.

Tromsø, Northern Norway: Arctic experts trust Norway to maneuver the transfer of the Arctic Council Chairmanship from Russia based on Norway's long-lasting relationship with the country. “Norway has been balancing and protecting the cooperation with Russia for many years while pushing back Russian aggression", says American professor Evan Bloom.

The Norwegian Army and Dutch forces are currently winter training in Troms, Northern Norway. "We have great mutual benefit of practicing and training together in the north," says Norwegian Minister of Defence Bjørn Arild Gram (Center) who will meet his Dutch counterpart for bilateral conversations in the north next week.

Tromsø, Northern Norway: Mayors from across the Arctic met in Tromsø, Northern Norway to officially open the Arctic Mayors’ Forum Secretariat.

The International Maritime Organization took incremental steps to protecting marine environments, including in the Arctic, from noise pollution. The voluntary measures, however, do not go far enough, say environmental groups and the Inuit Circumpolar Council.

If Finland enters NATO while Sweden has to wait, it would be unfortunate. The practical significance, however, is attenuated by the fact that Sweden has been given security guarantees and strong support by NATO. The Nordic defense cooperation can also be further developed to a great degree, researcher Håkon Lunde Saxi points out.