High North News - News, analysis and debate about politics and business in the North

Nordisk forsvarssamarbeid skal styrkes ytterligere, melder de nordiske forsvarsministrene i en ny felles uttalelse. Her fra forrige nordiske forsvarsministermøte i Finnmark 11. mai. F.v. Forsvarsministrene Peter Hultqvist (Sverige), Bjørn Arild Gram (Norge), Morten Bødskov (Danmark), Antti Kaikkonen (Finland) og Islands statssekretær Marie Kallestad Lamo. (Foto: Asgeir Spange Brekke/Forsvarsdepartementet)

Nordic Defense Ministers: Will Increase Future Military Presence in the Nordic Countries

In the coming months, the Nordic countries will strengthen their military presence in the region through joint exercises, training and visits, the Nordic defense ministers state in a new joint statement.

Arctic LNG 2

Rosatom Set to Get Full Responsibility for NSR Activities, Researcher Says

New instructions from the Russian president transfers almost all responsibility for activities along the Northern Sea Route to the state-owned company Rosatom. The background is coordination problems during winter supplies before Christmas, which hit supplies for the population along the NSR, says Senior Researcher Arild Moe at FNI.

Et P-3 fly fra NASA en tidlig morgen i mars på Thulebasen i Grønland. (Foto: NASA/Goddard/Christy Hansen)

USA Surprises Denmark and Greenland with Billion Dollar Investments in Thule Air Base

Neither Danish nor Greenlandic authorities are familiar with the details of the US plans about billion-dollar investments on Thule Air Base in Greenland. The base may get a key role in the USA’s defense against hypersonic missiles.

Notices

Business / 25.05.2022

Found Oil in the Barents Sea

Vår Energy confirms having found oil in an Equinor-operated exploration…

Politics / 25.05.2022

Greenland’s Inatsisartut Wants Contraceptive Spiral Case Investigated

Greenland’s parliament Inatsisartut has agreed to request that the Danish…

Politics / 25.05.2022

Alaska Supreme Court Finds Republican Gerrymander in Anchorage Districts, Orders New Map

The Alaska Supreme Court on Tuesday confirmed that Alaska’s…

Politics / 25.05.2022

Iceland: Plan to Build 35,000 Apartments in 10 Years

In response to the housing shortage, a working group established by Prime…

Espen Barth Eide

Norwegian Climate Minister: The Foundation for Norwegian High North Policy is Radically Changed

“The Green Shift will be the new engine in the Arctic”, says Norwegian Climate and Environment Minister Espen Barth Eide (Labor). Now, the Norwegian government directs its eyes towards cooperation with the EU and wants to enter into dialogue about the EU’s ban on exploiting oil and gas in the Arctic.

Arne O. Holm says

Arne O. Holm mener

The War Kills the Climate and Starves People to Death

Commentary: Russia and Putin’s war against Ukraine is a kind of madness that hits the world far beyond the reach of their respective missiles. The war leads to large-scale militarization of the Arctic, as well as to extreme famine further south. The former without opposition, the latter without any solution.

Arctic Frontiers 2022.

The Need for New Arctic Exceptionalism?

"The loss of the Russian Arctic as a cooperative part will unfold challenges that can become irreversible for Arctic people and the environment", says Mariia Kobzeva at UiT.

Ro Venture

Continues Supplying Smolt to Russian Fish Farmers on the Kola Peninsula

Two well-boats from Rostein shipowners this week entered Russian waters to serve their Russian customers, iLaks reports.

Norwegian Ocean-Going Fishing Vessel Fleet Annoyed by New Russian Military Exercise in the Barents Sea

“We find it worrying that Russia once again choses to conduct a military exercise in the Norwegian economic zone on short notice and without regards taken for ongoing fishing activities”, says Sturla Roald of Fiskebåt.

The High North Tour 2022

In the Shadow of the War: "I am a Little Bit Scared Now"

Just a brief walk and a dense pine forest lie between the house of Finnish Katarina Turunen and Russia. Russia was never anything she thought much about. Until now. "It is just there. I do not know if I have ever thought about NATO. But right now I am a little scared", says Katarina Turunen.

NATO application Sweden and Finland.

Finland and Sweden Have Submitted Applications to Join NATO

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the requests from Sweden and Finland, saying ”this is a good day, at a critical moment for our security.”

The Finnish president on a state visit to Sweden, May 2022.

Joint Nordic support for Finland and Sweden in NATO

In a joint statement of support, the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland and Norway welcome the decisions in Finland and Sweden to apply for NATO membership and emphasize that the Nordic neighbors share the values and principles on which NATO is based.

Jim DeHart

USA’s Arctic Coordinator: “We Do Not Want to Change the Structure or Membership of the Arctic Council”

“Creating an alternative structure to the Arctic Council is not on our agenda. We believe the Council holds its greatest value as a circumpolar forum including all the eight Arctic states and binding together the people who live throughout the entire region”, says James P. DeHart, US Coordinator for the Arctic Region.

Troops from the US Army Alaska in Northern Norway

US Army Alaska is Making a Huge Transformation to be the Army’s Arctic Force

This summer, US Army Alaska will become an operational division headquarters. “This will be an Arctic Airborne Division, which is unique in our Army”, Major General Brian Eifler tells High North News.

Pressekonferanse med Ulf Kristersson og Magdalena Andersson.

Sweden will apply for NATO membership with Finland: "Sweden must not be alone outside NATO"

The Swedish government has decided that Sweden will apply for membership in NATO, says Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson. "We will inform NATO that we want to become a member of the alliance, says Andersson (S).

Ann Linde, sveriges utenriksminister. (Foto: CTBTO)

Sweden´s Foreign Minister: A Historic Day for Sweden

Sweden´s application for membership in NATO has not been formally decided, but the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs already took to Twitter to share the news: "The Swedish government’s intent is to apply for NATO-membership. A historic day for Sweden".

Arne O. Holm says

Arne O. Holm mener

In the Shadow of War: After 4,000 Kilometers Along the Russian Border, I Suddenly Awoke in NATO

(Commentary) Nuijamaa, Finland: On Wednesday this week, I hit my pillow just a few kilometers away from the Russian border. Quite exactly 4,000 kilometers on the road had led me along the border from Kirkenes to Nuijamaa in southern Finland. The forest was, as always, closing in around me – but much had changed when I woke up in NATO on Thursday morning.

The High North Tour 2022

In the Shadow of War: “The Barents Cooperation was a Genuine, Honest Attempt”

Kirkenes, Norway: Rune Rafaelsen was awarded a medal for his work for friendship between Russia and Norway. A Russian medal. He has returned it. Friendship with the official Russia is shattered. But the Barents cooperation was a genuine and honest attempt, he says.

Major Generals Lervik, Andrysiak and Eifler in Bardufoss

US Army Alaska Training for Arctic Defense Operations in Northern Norway

"If we do not have a force that can operate in the Arctic environment, that is really not a good deterrence", Major General Brian Eifler says to HNN. As the US continues to develop its Arctic capabilties, the US Army Alaska is currently training with Norwegian forces for the first time ever.