Sweden and Finland tighten cooperation in the High North

Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney will welcome the Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre, to Ottawa, Ontario from September 20 to 21.

During the visit, the leaders will discuss opportunities to deepen the Canada-Norway partnership across key sectors, such as energy, critical minerals, and sovereign technology – including artificial intelligence and aerospace, a press release states.

“Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Støre will also advance Canada and Norway’s defence and security partnership. As Arctic nations and NATO Allies, they will discuss efforts to strengthen security and resilience in the Arctic and North Atlantic, modernise our defence capabilities, and bolster secure and resilient defence supply chains that support our collective security," states the press release.

“Canada and Norway are strong partners with growing ties in energy, defence, and technology. I look forward to hosting Prime Minister Støre as we deepen our economic relationship, strengthen the NATO Alliance, and create new opportunities for Canadian and Norwegian workers and businesses,” says Prime Minister Carney.

The Lapland Rescue Department in northern Finland is acquiring three new drones costing around 8,000 euros each to upgrade its equipment, according to the Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

The new drones feature improved weather resistance, more advanced cameras, a thermal imaging camera, and automated search capabilities that allow the crew to focus on analyzing the footage rather than piloting the aircraft.

The drones are used for a wide range of tasks, from smoke detection and fire localization to searching for missing persons. Additionally, they are equipped with useful accessories such as spotlights and loudspeakers to deliver instructions during rescue operations.

As part of a new pilot project, the rescue department will also test a release mechanism that allows drones to drop self-inflating lifebuoys directly to people requiring assistance in the water.

Tourism in Finnish Lapland is growing rapidly, and tourism businesses are investing heavily to meet demand.

Apukka Resort in Rovaniemi has more than quintupled its revenue since 2022, reaching around €27 million, according to Finnish broadcaster Yle.

At the same time, the tourism industry fears that such rapid growth could come at the expense of quality.

According to Harri Mällinen, CEO of Apukka Resort, a poor visitor experience could lead tourists to choose other destinations.

"That is my biggest fear right now. If the quality does not remain high, it will reduce tourists’ interest in Lapland," she told Yle.

The industry is also vulnerable to global crises. The war in the Middle East, for example, led to a decline in visitors when airports in the region were closed.

The Finnish Defence Forces will participate in the Denmark-led Arctic Endurance 26 -exercise complex in the Arctic region in early autumn.

That is stated in a press release from the Finnish Defence Forces.

The service personnel that will participate are from the Navy and from the Utti Jaeger Regiment.

"Finland maintains an active posture as a NATO member nation, and takes part in strengthening security in the Arctic region together with its Allies. Participation in the exercise complex will develop the Finnish Defence Forces’ interoperability, information exchange, and competence in the Arctic operating environment," the press release states.

Participation in the exercise will offer the Finnish Defence Forces’ special forces an opportunity to develop their capability to operate in a demanding Arctic environment and to strengthen cooperation with international Allies.

Arctic Endurance is one of the enduring exercises included under NATOs Arctic Sentry. This is NATO's enhanced Vigilance Activity for the High North and aims to strengthen the Alliance's posture and presence in the Arctic region.

Norway has eased restrictions that previously prevented allied surveillance aircraft from tracking Russian nuclear submarines operating out of bases on the Kola Peninsula, reports the Barents Observer.

The change means that allies can now operate closer to Norwegian areas than before, provided the missions are coordinated with Norwegian authorities.

The adjustment comes in response to an increased allied need for situational awareness in the Barents Sea and a more challenging security environment in the High North.

Norwegian authorities emphasize that operations will remain controlled and predictable.

The Swedish government is standing by its decision to grant the mining company Boliden an extraction permit for the planned copper mine in Laver, outside Älvsbyn municipality in northern Sweden, reports SVT.

The decision was originally made in September 2025 but was appealed by two environmental organizations.

The government has now rejected the appeal, ruling that the national interest in valuable metals outweighs considerations for nature conservation and reindeer herding.

In September, British Lieutenant General Nick Perry will be appointed general and the new commander of NATO Joint Force Command Norfolk (JFC Norfolk) in Virginia, USA.

JFC Norfolk is responsible for the security of the Arctic and the High North, as well as for protecting strategic lines of communication across the Atlantic. Its area of responsibility includes all the Nordic Arctic countries and the United Kingdom.

Perry's appointment is part of a process of change in NATO's command structure in which European allies are taking over leadership roles from the United States. Italy will take over command of JFC Naples, and Germany and Poland will share command of JFC Brunssum. The US will lead NATO's three component commands of air, land and maritime.

Last week, Sweden's honorary consulate in Tromsø, Northern Norway, was reopened with Christian Hjort as the new honorary consul. Hjort has a background as director of the company JM Hansen Eiendom.

"The consulate in Tromsø strengthens Sweden's presence in a region with significant business interests, and helps create good conditions for cross-border cooperation between the countries, while improving service to Swedish citizens in Northern Norway," writes the Swedish embassy in Oslo.

"I look forward to taking on the consular tasks, and not least to helping strengthen the already strong ties between our two countries," states Hjort.

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.

A ceremony was held in Boden, Northern Sweden, to mark the establishment of NATO's newest multinational force – Forward Land Forces Finland (FLF FIN). Representatives from NATO, the Finnish Armed Forces and Finland participated in the ceremony.

"The northern flank places special demands on the units that will operate there. It involves a subarctic climate, large distances, limited infrastructure and extensive roadless terrain. The units at the Norrbotten Brigade have extensive experience of training and operating under these conditions and can act quickly throughout the entire area of operations", says Daniel Rydberg, commander of NATO's new multinational force in Boden, according to a press release from the Swedish Armed Forces.

At the same time, a multinational staff element (MNSE) is being established in Rovaniemi, Finland, which forms part of the same FLF structure and initially consists of staff officers from Sweden, Finland and the United Kingdom.

The Swedish government will grant SEK 400,000 to the Nordiska museet foundation for work on returning the museum's collections of Sámi objects to Sápmi.

The museum currently has around 10,000 Sámi objects. It will use the funds to explore the objects' history and origins and clarify the conditions for their return in close collaboration with Ájtte – Swedish Mountain and Sámi Museum in Jokkmokk.

"The return of Sámi objects is a central part of the reconciliation process with the Sámi. At the same time, it is important that this happens through legally secure, transparent and efficient processes. It is therefore urgent that the Nordic Museum is now provided with funds to map the prerequisites for this work, says Sweden's Minister of Culture Parisa Liljestrand.

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.

Over the past week, NATO has conducted the computer-assisted command post exercise Steadfast Deterrence, in which all allied command structure headquarters and 32 member states participated.

The exercise stress-tested NATO’s integrated military plans under the concept for deterrence and defense of the Euro-Atlantic Area, focusing on the Arctic and the High North.

"Steadfast Deterrence 2026 was designed to replicate the complexities in the Arctic and the High North, integrating real-world plans, cutting-edge simulation technologies and AI-enabled warfighting platforms," says Major General Ruprecht von Butler, Commander of NATO Joint Warfare Centre and the Exercise Director.

"Overall, the exercise played a major role in operationalizing NATO's Concept for Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area, demonstrating that we train to fight and win," Butler adds.

Norway's role in the High North was central when General Alexsus G. Grynkewich, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), visited Norway last week.

“Norway holds a unique geostrategic position and plays a central role as NATO’s eyes and ears in the Arctic. We could not do our job without Norwegian support,” said Grynkewich.

After meetings in Oslo with the Norwegian chief of defense, prime minister and minister of defense, the general travelled to Bodø, Northern Norway, to visit NATO's new combined air operations centre. There he received first-hand briefings on how Norwegian and allied air forces operate together in the High North.

ALSO READ: CAOC Bodø Completes First Major Exercise as a Fully-Fledged NATO Headquarters

This year, the average temperature in March was higher than any other month since records began, according to the Finnish Meteorological Institute.

The average temperature throughout the country was 1.1 degrees Celsius, a new record for March, YLE reports. The previous record, 0.0 degrees Celsius, was set in 2007.

The average temperature for the month ranged from +3 in southwestern Finland to -2.5 in northern Lapland.

The heat caused the snow to melt rapidly in almost all of the country.

In Sodankylä in Lapland, the average temperature was the warmest in over a century, namely -0.7 degrees Celsius.

US President Donald Trump said in an interview on Wednesday that he is seriously considering pulling the US out of NATO after the allies refused to join the Iran war on his side.

“I’ve never been impressed with NATO. I’ve always known they’re a paper tiger and Putin knows that too, by the way,” Trump told Britain’s The Telegraph.

Trump is upset that the other NATO countries have not wanted to step in and secure oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran effectively stopped after the US and Israel's attack on Iran.

The president draws comparisons to the war in Ukraine.

“Ukraine was not our problem. It was a test and we were there for them. But they are not there for us,” Trump said, referring to Iran.

This week, a joint Nordic transport ministers' meeting was held in Rovaniemi, Finland. The purpose of the meeting was to observe the NATO exercise Cold Response 2026 and discuss a recently developed joint Nordic strategy for preparedness in the transport system.

In 2025, through the Nordic Transport Preparedness Cooperation (NTPC), close cooperation has been established and a joint Nordic strategy has been created on behalf of the Nordic transport ministers.

The strategy is based on the transport plans of the individual Nordic countries, and a set of common priorities is proposed. This concerns the transport corridors that are of greatest importance in a Nordic context, and the measures that NTPC considers to be most critical.

In addition, challenges and needs for follow-up of infrastructure, materials, regulations and transport services must be identified.

In a joint statement, the three transport ministers agreed to prioritize the most important transport routes across national borders. They will also remove traffic obstacles to facilitate the movement of the armed forces, and to ensure good crisis preparedness and the safe delivery of goods.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit Norway on Friday, March 13, at the invitation of Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. This is Merz's first official visit to Norway.

"In a time of great international uncertainty, I look forward to welcoming our most important partner in Europe. Norway and Germany have a close and close cooperation economically, in security policy, militarily and in a number of other areas," says Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre according to a press release.

On the agenda are both space travel and the military exercise Cold Response. Støre and Merz will meet to discuss, among other things, defense and security cooperation, the situation in Ukraine, and space cooperation.

The Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand, said NATO must turn its focus to the North at a major defence and security conference in Ottawa on Wednesday.

This was reported by CBC.

"Last August, I raised the point about ensuring that NATO has efforts that are geared towards Arctic security and protection, and my foreign minister colleagues around that table, the Nordic Five, agreed with me wholeheartedly," she said.

The Nordic Five includes Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Finland and Sweden.

Anand said Canada wants a NATO Arctic strategy that is more comprehensive than the Arctic Sentry mission launched earlier this year, and that includes a permanent presence in the region.

She said she planned to discuss the topic with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte later in the day.