EU leaders have called for a stronger presence in the Arctic as NATO expands its military activities in the region, citing what they describe as a growing security threat from Russia.
Moscow has consistently rejected such accusations, saying NATO is undermining traditional regional cooperation and fueling tensions.
At the first European Arctic Summit, held in Rovaniemi, Finland, on September 13-14, twelve EU countries called for a “more strategic and proactive role” in the region and called for more resources to be devoted to Arctic activities, amid “evolving geopolitical realities.”
"The European Union must strengthen its position in the Arctic, including through increased preparedness," Finland, Denmark, Estonia, France, Greece, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Sweden said in a joint statement after the meeting.
Of the 12 signatories, only Denmark, Finland and Sweden are Arctic states. The five Arctic states outside the EU are Russia, the US, Canada, Norway and Iceland.
Finland and Sweden joined NATO in 2023 and 2024 respectively, expanding the US-led military bloc's presence in the region. Moscow warned at the time that while their accession did not in itself pose a direct threat to Russia, the deployment of NATO military infrastructure on their territory would trigger a response.
