Newsletter The World May Never Be the Same Again
Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavik is bathed in pink light. "Hallgrim's Church" is the largest church in Iceland. In front of the church stands the statue of explorer Leiv Eiriksson, the first viking who traveled to North America via Greenland around the year 1000. The statue was a gift from the United States in 1930 to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of the Althing. (Photo: Trine Jonassen)
Dear reader. Although China and Russia are both in their own way designated as the greatest threats to Western security, a Finnish colonel believes that the Arctic does not need to fear Putin. The authorities nevertheless warn against Northern Norwegian naivety. Here is the latest news from the North.
We continue to keep a close eye on the flow of Russian gas into Europe.
New U.S. and EU sanctions target the Russian energy sector. Still, ten months into the Trump Administration, Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 operation continues to pick up steam.
Good news from the North
We have an unusual treat: Good news from the North.
Artificial kelp forests were covered with real kelp just four months after researchers placed them in the Melkøy Sound in Northern Norway.
And the tourism sector is booming in Northern Norway. (Norwegian only)
Security
I recently traveled to Iceland to cover the annual Arctic Circle conference, which gathers leaders, researchers and politicians from across the world. Among others, I met with the new Chair of NATO's Military Committee, who delivered a crystal clear message:
But even though Russia is unpredictable, Putin is unlikely to cross the threshold of NATO's Article 5, says Marko Kivelä, Commander of the Finnish Jaeger Brigade. Journalist Astri Edvardsen met the colonel during an exercise in the Finnish forests.
Norway is hosting the defense minister meeting in the coalition Joint Expeditionary Force at the start of November. High North News will naturally be there to cover the meeting in Bodø.
"The world will never be the same again" was the title of the latest Lytring debate, chaired by Editor Arne O. Holm. The panel included the County Governor of Nordland, Tom Cato Carlsen, who said that the continuous threat from foreign intelligence and an increasing number of suspicious incidents are grounds for Northerners to pay closer attention to their surroundings. (Norwegian only)
The EU President is also noting the significance of the region. Ursula von der Leyen squarely moved the Arctic to the heart of European security during a speech in Stockholm.
Read all this and more at i High North News. Feel free to share the newsletter with other interested parties and follow us on social media.
Arctic greetings from Editor-in-Chief Trine Jonassen