International expedition to strengthen cooperation between Arctic coast guards

The Nordic Council Presidium held its summer meeting in Nuuk this year, following a decision earlier in the year to move the meeting from Rovaniemi as a clear expression of solidarity with Greenland.

This was announced by the Nordic Council in a press release.

The Nordic Council Presidium is the highest political and decision-making body of the Nordic Council between its annual sessions. The Presidium is responsible for overarching political issues, administration, the budget, and foreign and security policy. It also leads and coordinates the Council's other work.

In conjunction with the meetings, Nordic Council President Ville Väyrynen participated in Greenland’s National Day celebrations and met with representatives from Inatsisartut, the health sector, and Canada’s representation in Greenland. Weather conditions meant that some Presidium members had to participate digitally, but the program in Nuuk was carried out as planned.

The Presidium discussed, among other things, work on a new Nordic strategy for societal security and met with Greenlandic authorities and societal stakeholders to discuss Arctic security, civil preparedness, children's rights, and social resilience. The discussions underscored that Nordic security is about far more than military defense, in line with the Finnish-Ålandic presidency program’s emphasis on comprehensive security.

At the same time, the visit reaffirmed the importance of close Nordic cooperation and of standing united with Greenland during a time of geopolitical uncertainty. The Nordic Council holds six ordinary meetings per year.

The Nordland County Council in Northern Norway is allocating NOK 6 million to the Nordland Research Institute. The funds will go towards establishing a new research center: MEA – a research center for marine and coastal communities. The goal is for new knowledge to foster stronger local communities and green growth along the Nordland coast.

The project receiving this funding will run for three years. It is intended to lay the foundation for a permanent research center in the county.

The target audience includes municipalities, regional councils, the business sector, and coastal communities in Nordland.

"This is an important investment in the future of our coast," says Svein Øien Eggesvik (Centre Party), County Councilor for Business, in a press release.

The Icelandic state was acquitted of the Icelandic tech company Vélfag's claim in the Supreme Court. The case of Ivan Nicolai Kaufmann, the company's majority owner, was dropped.

This according to Icelandic broadcaster RUV.

This is the first Icelandic company to be subject to trade sanctions in connection with Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Vélfag demanded that the Icelandic state reverse Arion Bank’s decision to freeze its assets. Last year, Vélfag became the first company to be subjected to economic sanctions due to alleged ties to the Russian shadow fleet. Vélfag has argued that the state, not the bank, should be the authority in this matter.

The ruling has not been published, and the reasoning is therefore unknown.

The Norwegian frigate KNM Fridtjof Nansen is participating in a historic exercise off the east coast of the United States.

The exercise, called FLEETEX 250, is a US-led exercise with 31 vessels from 17 different allies and partner nations, the Norwegian Armed Forces states in a press release.

FLEETEX 250 is part of the U.S. Navy's 250th anniversary celebrations, highlighting the importance of maritime cooperation and the enduring commitment between allies and partner nations.

The exercise includes coordinated maneuvers at sea, communications exercises and training in information sharing routines. The scenarios are designed to strengthen cohesion and ensure the force is able to operate effectively together across the Atlantic and in the Arctic.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (M) expects that there will be a solution before the end of the year, as a result of negotiations between the Danish-Greenlandic-American working group, which have been ongoing since January.

This is reported by the Danish newspaper Politiken, cited in, among other things, the Greenlandic Sermitsiaq.

Løkke Rasmussen estimates that there is a need for "a number of meetings", he tells Politiken.

Denmark, Greenland and the United States agreed in January to establish a working group to discuss the way forward.

Relations between Denmark and Greenland on the one hand, and the United States on the other, have been tense after US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to take over Greenland.

Norway is strengthening its presence in Greenland and will open a Consulate General in Nuuk to further develop cooperation with Greenland at a time when the Arctic is gaining increasing strategic importance.

That is stated in a press release.

"The High North remains Norway’s most important strategic priority, and the Arctic is becoming increasingly important for international politics and security. Greenland is a close partner for Norway, and a Consulate General in Nuuk will strengthen both political contact and cooperation on shared interests in the region," said Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

"A Consulate General in Nuuk will give us closer contact with the Greenlandic authorities, the business community and civil society. It will strengthen cooperation in areas where Norway and Greenland already share strong interests, such as fisheries, maritime affairs and Indigenous peoples’ issues. It will also give us better opportunities to develop new areas of cooperation in the years ahead," said Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide.

Norway has had an honorary consulate general in Nuuk since 1986.

Vice Admiral James Morley, Deputy Commander of NATO Joint Force Command Norfolk (JFC Norfolk), visited Sweden’s Northern Military Region from 7 to 9 June.

During the visit, the JFC Norfolk Deputy Commander gained first-hand insight into the operational environment of the High North - an area of growing strategic importance for the Alliance, a press release states.

The delegation, which also included Major General Stefan Sandborg, Deputy Chief of Joint Operations of the Swedish Armed Forces, visited eastern Norrbotten and the headquarters of the Northern Military Region in Boden.

There, military leaders met with representatives from Sweden’s North Civil Defence Region and Police Region North, highlighting the close cooperation between military and civilian authorities that forms the foundation of Sweden’s total defence concept.

"It has been valuable to see the progress made in integrating Sweden into the Alliance enterprise. Sweden's significant combat power and total defence concept - encapsulated brilliantly in the work at Regional Command North - adds significant capability to the Alliance," said Vice Admiral Morley.

"Sweden's stand-up of Forward Land Forces Finland and the transfer of authority to SACEUR marks another significant milestone and will further enhance NATO's defensive posture on the northern flank," he added.

In December 2025, the Danish government announced that Greenlandic women who had an Intrauterine Device (IUD) inserted without consent during the period 1960-1991 could receive 300,000 DKK in compensation.

The Danish Ministry of Interior and Health has previously stated that approximately 4,500 women may be eligible for compensation.

A special travel team will travel from Denmark to Greenland during the autumn to help women seek compensation in the IUD case.

This was reported by the Danish Patient Compensation Agency to the Danish news agency DR.

The first round trip will begin at the end of September. The team plans two more rounds in 2027.

On Thursday, the US nuclear-powered submarine USS Oregon will make a brief stop in Icelandic waters off Reykjanes to receive supplies and exchange crew members.

This is the ninth time a US submarine has made a service stop in Icelandic territorial waters since such visits were permitted by Iceland in 2023.

The USS Oregon is a Virginia-class attack submarine and does not carry nuclear weapons, according to the Icelandic government.

The new Danish government has presented the basis for its work over the next four years, with a strong focus on Greenland.

Investments, historical studies and greater Greenlandic influence are what the new Danish government promises Greenland. The input is well received by the parliamentarians Naaja H. Nathanielsen (IA) and Qarsoq Høegh-Dam (N).

This is reported by KNR.

“The last few years have shown what it means when we stand together,” said Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (Social Democrats) when she presented her new government.

The positive feedback is not only about the recognition of Greenland’s right to self-determination. The concrete promises of investment and development also play a role in the politicians’ assessment of the new government’s basis.

The government consists of the Social Democrats, the Liberal Democrats, the Moderates and the Radical Left with Mette Frederiksen, the chair of the Social Democrats, as prime minister. This is her third term.

In the new government basis, there are a number of things that Denmark will do to strengthen cooperation in the Confederation of Danish Industries.

This must also be done on Greenlandic terms.

A report prepared for the Ministry of Finance on Iceland’s currency options has been published and discussed by the Central Bank governor, its lead author, and the Minister, reports RUV.

“The report authors’ assessment is that it would be a promising option for Iceland to adopt the euro if we choose to join the European Union,” says Daði Már Kristófersson, the Minister of Finance, about a report prepared for his ministry on Iceland’s options in currency matters.

Various politicians have argued agains the Euro-issue.

Icelanders will go to the polls on 29 August to vote on continuing accession talks with the European Union.

That is reported by Ruv.is.

Alþingi, the Icelandic Parliament, approved the foreign minister’s parliamentary resolution proposal by 34 votes to 8, last week, on Thursday afternoon.

The [directly translated, ed. note] question on the ballot paper will be: “Should Iceland begin again accession negotiations with the European Union?” reports RUV.

The foreign minister’s parliamentary resolution proposal, that a referendum be held on resuming EU accession talks, had to be approved by Thursday at the latest, in order for it to be possible to hold the vote on 29 August.

A new survey from Indikator Opinion for the Swedish Radio channel P4 shows that only 1 in 5 Swedes would consider moving north for work if they were offered 100,000 Swedish kroner (appr. 10,000 USD) in relocation assistance, reports Sveriges Radio.

The survey was conducted among a random sample of Swedes over the age of 18 and 2,044 people responded.

One of the questions was: Would you consider moving to Northern Sweden to work if you were offered a relocation allowance of SEK 100,000?

22 percent answered yes, 40 percent answered no, 13 percent did not know, and for 25 percent the question was not applicable (i.e. do not work/already live in Northern Sweden).

High North News has previously reported that the Swedish government will investigate a relocation allowance to make it easier for the unemployed to move to other parts of the country, including Northern Sweden.

On Monday, the Norwegian Polar Institute signed a renewed agreement on strengthened research collaboration with the Japanese National Institute of Polar Research.

The signing took place during a seminar in Tokyo, organized by Arctic Frontiers and the Norwegian Embassy in Tokyo, with a large Norwegian delegation present, the institute states in a press release.

The starting point for the seminar is the more than 120-year-long cooperation between Japan and Norway, and how to facilitate further cooperation on solutions to global challenges, with the Arctic in focus.

"The agreement we have now signed underlines our common foundation for further research in the polar regions and formalizes a long and valuable collaboration within logistics and research in both the Arctic and Antarctic," says Director of the Norwegian Polar Institute, Camilla Brekke.

Among the guests who attended the signing was His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway.

"The Arctic and the oceans are important elements in Norway's relations with Japan. Our cooperation on Arctic issues goes back several decades. Japan's research presence in Ny-Ålesund on Svalbard was established in 1991, and our academic institutions have collaborated closely on polar and ocean research for several decades, said Crown Prince Haakon in his speech.

Arctic temperatures over the next five winters are expected to be three and a half times higher than the global average, reaching 2.8 degrees above the average temperatures for 1991-2020, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization and the UK Met Office.

The report also predicts further reductions in sea ice concentration in the Barents Sea, Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in March (the time of maximum ice extent) over the next five years.

Arctic warming could also disrupt weather systems and prompt more severe weather events, especially in northern parts of the world, says Melissa Seabrook, a research scientist at the UK Met Office, to Reuters.

Eight US senators and their staff visited the Norwegian Arctic archipelago Svalbard last weekend. This is reported by Svalbardposten, among others.

Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski led the delegation, which was invited by UiT, the Arctic University of Norway.

"We are here with a bipartisan message about the importance of our allies, and Norway is obviously one of them. The challenges in the Arctic are enormous, the Arctic is an enormous region, and the United States cannot solve everything alone. It is important that we can work together with our allies to solve the challenges we have in the Arctic," Shaheen tells the newspaper.

According to Svalbardposten, the agenda included a presentation of Arctic climate research, as well as visits to Isfjord Radio and UNIS - the university centre in Svalbard.

"When we see the Arctic warming and new dangers emerging in the Arctic, it is very important for us to get a better understanding of what those challenges are and to ensure that we have a bipartisan understanding of what the United States can do," says Shaheen.

The Norwegian Parliament's Committee on Business and Industry proposes that the government investigate the possibilities for a state-owned mineral company.

E24 writes that the red-green parties are asking the government to investigate a state-owned mineral company or fund for more control over Norway's mineral resources. However, there are different views on a state-owned mineral company or fund, says mineral policy spokesperson for the Labor Party, Tobias Hangaard Linge, to the newspaper.

He also highlights China's dominance in the mineral extraction and value chain today.

"We are in a situation where China dominates both the processing and extraction of some of the most critical minerals we need, both in green industry, in the technology we deal with, but also in the defense industry. Then Europe and Norway must take more responsibility for access to the important minerals," he says.

"This is a clear and important signal that Norway should take a more active role in the development of critical minerals. It is important to accelerate the development of Norwegian mineral projects, says Secretary Frode Engen in a press release from the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions – LO Norway.

"LO has been clear that we believe the state must contribute more. Both to realize projects and ensure the best possible utilization of resources. With this, the business committee delivers," says Engen.

The matter is scheduled to be discussed in the Norwegian Parliament on June 2.

In connection with the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Helsingborg, Sweden on Friday, Arctic Allies in NATO issues a Joint Statement on Arctic security.

The Arctic Allies, which consist of Canada, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the United States, and the Kingdom of Denmark including Greenland and the Faroe Islands, agree to deepen dialogue on security challenges in the Arctic and the High North.

"Recognizing the security challenges and economic opportunities in the Arctic and the High North, the Arctic Allies met to discuss our efforts to build a secure and prosperous region," the statement reads.

"The Arctic is quickly becoming a sphere of increasing geopolitical strategic importance. With Russia´s increased military activity and China´s growing strategic interest, we seek to bolster stability in the Arctic region."

It is furthermore noted that the Arctic Allies are enhancing military presence, surveillance capabilities, and joint training in the region. They furthermore emphasize that they do so in a coordinated and calibrated way.

"We support NATO’s increased presence in the region through activities such as Arctic Sentry, Air Policing in Iceland, and Forward Land Forces Finland, as well as the ongoing strengthening of the Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, a new CAOC in Norway and the ongoing modernization of NORAD."

"With new opportunities opening up, and new challenges emerging, close cooperation on Arctic security and economic development among our nations is more important than ever – as Europe and Canada are assuming a greater responsibility for deterrence and defense across the region."

The Arctic countries also recognize the importance of economic and resource development in the Arctic and have tasked experts to coordinate more closely on these issues, including research security, investment screening, and critical infrastructure modernization and protection.

"We look forward to continuing to work together to achieve our common goal of a secure, prosperous, and peaceful Arctic," the statement concludes.

This week, EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, is visiting Nuuk to strengthen the EU's partnership with Greenland and discuss the update of the union's Arctic strategy.

Síkela is leading the work on the renewal of the strategy and has had meetings with Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Múte B. Egede, Naalakkersuisoq (Minister) for Foreign Affairs, Business and Mineral Resources.

This autumn, the European Commission proposed doubling support for Greenland in the Union's long-term budget for 2028-2034. The discussions have covered the EU's expected investment package and cooperation in fields such as sustainable value chains for raw materials, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, and sustainable tourism.

The Commissioner has also met with local businesses and civil society representatives and is participating in the business conference Future Greenland 2026.