Rutte discusses "next steps" to ensure security in Arctic
Speaking to the media during a joint appearance in Zagreb, the alliance’s secretary general stressed the shared position among member countries, saying, “All allies agree on the importance of the Arctic and Arctic security, because we know that with sea lanes opening up, there is a risk that the Russians and the Chinese will be more active. And as you know, there are eight Arctic countries,” as stated by reports.
He explained that seven of those Arctic nations are part of NATO—the United States, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Finland, and Sweden—leaving Russia as the only Arctic state outside the alliance. He also noted that China, despite not being geographically located in the region, has significantly expanded its involvement there.
Highlighting this trend, he said, “By now, China has almost become a sort of Arctic country, and not geographically, but at least by the sheer amount of their activities and interest in the region.”
According to officials, NATO finalized internal deliberations last year on enhancing coordination among its Arctic members and has since shifted its focus toward implementing concrete outcomes. Describing the current phase, the secretary general stated, “Currently, we are discussing the next step to that, how to make sure that we give practical follow-up on those discussions to make sure that, as an alliance, we do everything, collectively and through our individual allies, to make sure that the Arctic stays safe, as we all agree that has to be a priority.”
He added that the alliance’s engagement in Arctic security has intensified since 2025 at the request of its northern members, emphasizing that the High North is “a vital part of NATO territory.”
The comments came amid reports that several European countries, led by the United Kingdom and Germany, are preparing to broaden their military footprint in Greenland. Referring to these developments, the NATO chief said, “You've seen some announcements by the Brits and the Germans,” adding, “Today we are working now together to see how we can basically together as an alliance… build that next step.”
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