Speech

Good afternoon all,

It is a pleasure to be at the Arctic Circle Assembly for the third consecutive time.

When I first took part in this conference, the tone and the content was very different from now.

The focus on the security aspects of the Arctic has become much stronger.

And I take a little bit of responsibility for that, because I spoke about NATO’s concerns about the security developments in this region.

Nevertheless, Mr Grímsson has asked me back to attend one final time in my role as Chair of the NATO Military Committee.

And my message remains unchanged: major geopolitical changes drive home the need to ensure security and stability in the Arctic, as we see more strategic competition in the region.

Russia’s war on Ukraine has global implications, including in the Arctic, where Russia has even used its military facilities on the Kola Peninsula to attack Ukraine.

After almost 1000 days of full-scale war, Ukraine continues to bravely and successfully fight back against the Russian aggression.

And they are supported in their right to self-defence by 50 nations around the world, including NATO Allies.

Our unprecedented military and financial support to Ukraine is not charity but an investment in our own security.

Also here in the High North.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

For many years, constructive cooperation and peaceful dialogue benefited the Arctic and nations in the region, including Russia.
This has accurately been described as “High North, low tension”.

Unfortunately, this is no longer the case.

Tensions are rising.

Therefore, Arctic Allies are crucial to ensure the Alliance has the situational awareness and the capabilities to defend the High North and deter any potential aggressors.

The historic accession of Sweden and Finland makes NATO stronger, also in the High North.

And Nordic Allies are investing deeply in their capabilities and equipment.

That means more jets and ships to better patrol Nordic skies and seas and to detect non-Allied submarines, including in the Arctic.

This week during the NATO Defence Ministerial in Brussels, 13 Allies ¹ launched the NORTHLINK initiative.

This will explore the development of a secure, resilient and reliable multinational Arctic satellite communications capability.

Four weeks ago, we witnessed another significant milestone in Nordic Defence Cooperation, when the Chiefs of Defence of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden signed the Nordic Defence Concept.

This deepens Nordic defence collaboration.

And that couldn’t have come at a better time.

Because Russia is continuing to ramp up its military presence in the Arctic, which is home to the Northern Fleet, nuclear submarines, missile facilities, airfields, radar stations and troops.

Now, Russia’s largest force is stationed on the Kola Peninsula, which shares a border with Norway and Finland.

In September, Russia conducted a major naval and air exercise in the Arctic Ocean called “Ocean 24” and reportedly deployed two nuclear submarines under the Arctic polar icecap.

We are also increasingly witnessing cooperation between Russia and China in this region.

This cooperation has a clear military aspect to it.

China joined Russia in the “Ocean 24” exercise.

And at the start of this month, China’s Coast Guard vessels entered the Arctic Ocean for the first time, patrolling the waters jointly with Russian ships.

Two years ago, the Chinese Ambassador to Iceland accused me of paranoia and arrogance when I predicted at this conference that China would go into the Arctic Ocean.

As it turns out, it was in a way unfortunately an accurate prediction.

This particular Sino-Russia mission underscores the growing and concerning cooperation between Beijing and Moscow, also in the Arctic.

Russia is also increasingly cooperating with China on minerals and shipping routes which could affect stability in polar regions.

In June, Russia´s state nuclear agency Rosatom and a major Chinese shipping company announced a partnership to establish a year-round container shipping line along the Arctic’s Northern Sea Route.

Last month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov vowed that Moscow would defend its interests in the Arctic both in diplomatic and military terms.

As one can expect from a defensive Alliance, NATO will also defend its interests in this region.

The High North is important for the whole Alliance.

We have a responsibility to protect all our Allies, including the seven here in the Arctic.

And we want to uphold the international rules-based order, which includes freedom of navigation.

NATO’s Concept for Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area, in short the DDA, places transatlantic security at the centre of NATO.

Key part of our DDA family of plans are the Regional Plans that describe how we will defend key and relevant places within our Alliance.

They go hand in hand with our new Force Structure Requirements.

And that means that Allies now know precisely what assets or capabilities are required of them in a war scenario, including where and what to deploy, and what their tasks would be.

The Regional Plan North West specifically covers the Atlantic and the European Arctic.

The region falls under the command of the Allied Joint Force Command in Norfolk in the US.

JFC Norfolk provides and coordinates activity to ensure NATO’s deterrence and defence for the whole of the North Atlantic.

And ensures that NATO’s force posture supports Artic operations.

We are already testing our new plans with exercises in the High North.

A good example was exercise Nordic Response in March this year, part of Steadfast Defender 24, our biggest exercise since the Cold War.

Late this summer, Iceland hosted Exercise Northern Viking 24 where Allies, led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe, focused on how to protect the strategic waterways and airspace surrounding this country.

As the gateway to the North Atlantic, the Arctic hosts vital trade and communications links between North America and Europe.

NATO and Allies are dedicated to the security of undersea pipelines and cables.

Therefore, we have:

• Firstly, established a specialized Maritime Centre for Security of Critical Undersea Infrastructure under NATO’s Maritime Command.

• Secondly, created an undersea infrastructure coordination cell to map vulnerabilities, and coordinate efforts between NATO Allies, partners, and the private sector.

• And thirdly doubled the number of ships patrolling the North and the Baltic Seas; stepped up intelligence sharing; and conducted a series of protective military activities through the Joint Expeditionary Force.

Arctic Allies are strengthening their cooperation to enhance their presence and capabilities in the High North.

Canada and Nordic countries plan to create a new Arctic Security Dialogue, to coordinate on defence, intelligence and cyber threats.

The United States, Canada, and Finland have announced their intent to build new polar icebreakers through the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort agreement or ICE-PACT, along with other Allies and Partners.

And the Pentagon has updated its Arctic Strategy focusing on exercising US presence in the region and training with Allies and Partners.

Just last week, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr was here in Iceland to meet with other Arctic Chiefs of Defence, underscoring US engagement and the importance of the region for NATO.

And on the diplomatic front the US Senate on 19 September confirmed the Alaskan Mike Sfraga as the nation’s first Arctic ambassador.

So there are positive developments, but we need to do more.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Icelandic Foreign Minister recently said we have to be vigilant in the face of changing security environment in the Arctic.

I couldn’t agree more and I would like to stress that Iceland continues to be strategically important because of its location.

Few states have a greater interest in the sustainable development of the area than Iceland, since all of the country and a large part of its territorial waters lie within the Arctic region.

Climate change is rapidly reshaping the Arctic, which is warming almost four times faster than the rest of the world.

Reduction in sea ice due to climate change means that new shipping routes come into play, making them economically and militarily significant.

If these routes open up there is a military challenge of strategic importance.

Russia can use its Pacific fleet in our area of operations, much easier and faster than before.

Which will of course be addressed militarily by NATO, as one can expect from a defensive Alliance such as NATO.

The Alliance is committed to understanding and adapting to the security implications of these massive changes, so clearly visible and felt here in Iceland and in the wider Arctic region. 

NATO Allies will continue to deter aggression, protect our values and interests, and keep our one billion people safe.

This has been our mission for 75 years.

And NATO will always keep fighting for freedom, democracy and upholding the rules-based international order.

Thank you and I look forward to taking your questions.

1. Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United States.