Researcher on Trump's Framework Deal: Expects Two Simultaneous Negotiation Processes US President Donald Trump and NATO's Secretary General have discussed the framework of a future deal on Greenland and the Arctic region. Defense researcher Marc Jacobsen believes that this will entail two related deals; the first within the NATO framework – and the second between the US and the Kingdom of Denmark.
Trump: Seeks Immediate Negotiations to Discuss the Acqusition of Greenland US President Donald Trump continues to iterate the need for the US to have Greenland, but says he "won't use force".
Norwegian PM on Trump’s Tariff over Greenland: We Must Make Things Clear "During the past year, the seven Arctic NATO countries have worked on an Arctic strategy that the other countries have nodded to," says Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. That military personell went to Greenland to map out possible cooperation, was also nodded to, including by the US, he adds.
NATO Should Follow Up Success on the Eastern Flank in the Arctic, says UK Foreign Secretary Bardufoss, Northern Norway (High North News): NATO allies should launch stronger coordination and cooperation as part of an Arctic sentry, inspired by joint efforts for enhanced presence in the Baltic Sea and on the Eastern flank, said UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper to HNN last Thursday.
Russian ‘Zombie Tanker’ Sails Up Norwegian Coastline After Being Blocked by German Police Germany has taken the unprecedented step of barring a notorious “zombie tanker” from its Baltic waters after uncovering forged registration and serious safety concerns. The aging shadow-fleet vesselTavianhas since sailed north past Norway toward the Arctic, highlighting the growing risks and cat-and-mouse dynamics of Russia’s sanctions-evasion oil trade.
EU Spent €7.2 Billion On Russian LNG in 2025, Maximizing Imports Before 2027 Ban Europe keeps buying Russian fuel without any noticeable slowdown with less than 12 months remaining before an EU ban on the import of Russian LNG takes effect. Highlighting the ineffectiveness of existing EU half-measures, including the transshipment ban, Belgium more than doubled its imports from Yamal LNG in 2025, simply keeping LNG once the re-export ban took effect.
Agreed to Increase Military Exercise Activity in Greenland Denmark and Greenland have decided to increase military presence in and around Greenland, in close cooperation with allies.
UK's Foreign Minister to Urge NATO to Focus on Arctic in Finland and Norway Visit Travelling to Finland and Northern Norway, the UK's Foreign Secretary will call on NATO to step up its work in the Arctic to protect Euro-Atlantic interests in the region.
Sweden, Finland Urge EU to Tighten Screws on Russian Arctic Shipping With Insurance, Port Bans Sweden and Finland are pushing the EU to toughen sanctions on Russian Arctic shipping, calling for bans on insurance and port repairs for vessels carrying oil, gas and coal. The proposal targets overlooked maritime services seen as vital to keeping Russia’s Arctic energy exports afloat.
Canada To Open Consulate in Nuuk, Greenland In February, Canada will open a consulate in Greenland. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Governor General Mary Simon are expected to be in Nuuk for the opening.
Several Meetings Between Greenland, Denmark and the US This Week This week, the Danish foreign minister and his Greenlandic counterpart will meet with the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, as well as the US Vice President in Washington, D.C. In addition, several American senators are traveling to Copenhagen to meet members of the Danish parliament.
Russia Downscales Parts of Fisheries Cooperation Norway and Russia reached a fisheries agreement for 2026 in the annual negotiations late last year. Despite the important agreement, Russia is downscaling parts of the fisheries cooperation.
British Forces in the North: Will Operate in Northern Norway Year-Round This year, Norway and the United Kingdom will increase the cooperation between their military forces. In December, the two countries signed an extensive defense agreement that paves the way for greater British presence in the High North.
Canada Must Be Wary of Its Southern Neighbor, Say Researchers Last year, US President Donald Trump's ambitions to expand US territory included Greenland, but also Canada, as 'the 51st state.' The Trump Administration's recent reinforcement of its desire to take over Greenland has clear political implications for Canada's security policy, say researchers Gabriella Gricius and Mathieu Landriault.
White House Draws Up Plans to Acquire Greenland as Trump Revives Territorial Ambitions Donald Trump’s fixation on Greenland has entered a dangerous new phase with the White House actively drawing up acquisition plans, calling it a "national security priority." As U.S. actions in Venezuela reframe what Washington may be willing to do, European allies fear rhetoric is turning into policy. Even prediction markets like Polymarket are betting on Trump’s actions vis-à-vis Greenland.
Danish Extraordinary Meeting on Relations With the United States On Tuesday, January 6, the Danish Foreign Affairs Committee was called to an emergency meeting about "the kingdom's relationship with the United States."
Norway Assumes Leadership of NORDEFCO On January 1st, Norway assumed leadership of the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) after Finland. War in Europe and heightened uncertainty have increased the significance of cooperation. "Europe can not take security for granted," says Norway's Minister of Defense, Tore O. Sandvik.
Russia Delivers First Domestically Assembled Arc7 LNG Carrier After Years of Sanctions Delays Russia has completed its first domestically assembled Arc7 LNG carrier after years of sanctions-driven delays, offering a rare boost to Novatek’s Arctic LNG 2 project but underscoring the deep challenges still facing Russia’s shipbuilding ambitions. The vessel will double the project’s winter export capacity.
Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Agreement for 2026: "Noteworthy," says researcher Despite the demanding backdrop, Norway and Russia reached a fisheries agreement for 2026 this week. FNI Researcher Geir Hønneland underscores that this year's agreement shows how vital the fisheries agreement is to Russia. The Norwegian Fishermen's Association's leader, Jan Roger Lerbukt, says the agreement continues to further stability.
Norway and Russia Have Reached a Fisheries Agreement for 2026 After much uncertainty regarding this year's fisheries negotiations, Norway and Russia reached a fisheries agreement for 2026 on Thursday. The parties have agreed on a continued decline in the quota for the important cod in the Barents Sea, among other things.
Russia’s Arctic Shipping Route Turns Into “Dark Fleet” Corridor Used by 100 Sanctioned Vessels One third of Arctic shipping traffic along the Northern Sea Route involves sanctioned vessels of Russia’s shadow fleet, a new report warns. The figures include 38 sanctioned oil tankers, often poorly maintained and insured and frequently without ice-classification. Russian officials have also stopped publishing data about activity on the route, further reducing available information and increasing risk.
EU Supports Laid-Off Northvolt Workers With EUR 8.5 Million The EU and Swedish authorities will provide financial aid to laid-off Northvolt workers in Sweden following the battery manufacturer's bankruptcy.
Trump Appoints Top US Arctic Research Position to Key Person Behind Greenland Visits US President Trump has appointed Tom Dans to lead the federal agency that advises the White House and Congress on America’s research activities in the Arctic. Dans has recently been involved in promoting closer US-Greenlandic ties.
Norway to Introduce Military Police Authority on Arctic Island The Norwegian Ministry of Defense believes the current security policy situation calls for the expansion of the military police's scope to include the Norwegian Arctic island of Jan Mayen.
Danish Intelligence Warns U.S. “Hemispheric Approach” Raises Arctic Security Uncertainty A sharper U.S. focus on its “immediate region” and the hemispheric approach of Washington’s new National Security Strategy has created doubts in Copenhagen about America’s long-term role in the Arctic. Denmark’sOutlook 2025concludes that this strategic shift could leave the region more exposed amid rising Russian and Chinese military activity.
Norway to Expand Submarine Fleet With Two Additional German-Built Boats to Counter Rising Russian Threat The Norwegian government supports the acquisition of two additional submarines from Germany, boosting its order with Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) to six boats; a move intended to strengthen Norway’s deterrence and surveillance capacity in the North Atlantic and Barents Sea.
Fisheries Negotiations Between Norway and Russia Has Started This week, the Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission will meet for digital fisheries negotiations for the important stocks in the Barents Sea. This year's process regarding the negotiations has been more demanding than in the past.
Arctic Receives No Mention in New White House National Security Strategy, But U.S. Polar Engagement Remains The Trump administration’s 2025 National Security Strategy omits a dedicated Arctic section, unlike its 2022 predecessor, but experts say the shift reflects a hemispheric approach—not neglect—with icebreaker acquisitions and the ICE Pact signaling continued U.S. engagement and strategic focus on the North American Arctic.
NATO Updates Command Structure, Integrating the Nordics under JFC Norfolk All of the Nordic countries are now officially placed under the responsibility of NATO's High North-focused command, JFC Norfolk.
Historic Defense Agreement between Norway and the UK Norway and the UK have signed an extensive defense agreement. One of the central points in the agreement involves British forces having a greater role in the defense of Norway.
EU Parliament Charts New Arctic Course, With Norway and Other Arctic Partners at the Center The Parliament of the European Union adopted a new Arctic resolution warning of military buildup and highlighting the need for cooperation with Nordic partners, including Norway, to ready itself for the coming geopolitical competition. The measures passed with a broad majority of 510 votes for, 75 against, and 80 abstentions.
No New Structure for Northern Nordic Cooperation in Sight? Rovaniemi, Finland (High North News): At the end of the year, Finland will withdraw from the Barents Euro-Arctic Council, and the search for a new cooperation framework has so far not yielded any tangible results. “I really hope that we find a common path forward,” says Hanna Honkamäkilä in the Council of Oulu Region.
Finland Seeks Allied Cooperation on Space-Based Surveillance in the High North Finland is building up satellite surveillance capability and wants to join forces with allies to strengthen collective defense, said Minister of Defense Antti Häkkänen at NATO's Arctic Space Forum. Key Finnish and Swedish space actors have already signed a letter of intent on cooperation.
UK Maritime Services Ban on Russian LNG Threatens Seapeak’s Arctic Yamal Fleet The UK maritime services ban will apply to Seapeak Maritime (Glasgow) Ltd., a key provider of shipping services to Russia’s Yamal LNG project, the government confirmed to HNN. Without Seapeak’s six Arc7 LNG carriers the project would face significant logistical challenges. The upcoming EU import ban will further complicate the project’s future.
Norway and Russia Have Agreed on Date for Fisheries Negotiations After much uncertainty, this year's fisheries negotiations between Norway and Russia will now be held digitally at the start of December.
Greenland to Cooperate With Japanese Peace Foundation – Aims to Become an Arctic Hub for Peace "It has never been more important to strengthen efforts for peace," says Greenland's Foreign Minister, Vivian Motzfeldt. She recently signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Japanese Sasakawa Peace Foundation. The agreement will initiate joint work on peace research in the Arctic.
US, Canada, and Finland Double Down on Joint Icebreaker Effort in DC Meeting The US aims to further revitalize its shipbuilding capacity and Arctic icebreaker fleet under the trilateral ICE Pact. Officials from the three countries met in DC this week to discuss plans for 2026. Earlier this year the pact had resulted in a commitment to construct 11 new icebreakers for the US with participation from shipyards in all three countries.
Nordic Defense Ministers and Chiefs of Defense Gathered to Enhance Joint Combat Power All Nordic defense ministers and chiefs of defense recently met in Helsinki. A key topic was the development of air forces capable of combined operations. “This is important for strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defense in the High North,” says Antti Häkkänen, Finnish Minister of Defense.
Northern Nordic Military Leaders Gathered to Bolster Cooperation The commanders of Norway, Finland and Sweden's northern brigades and home guard forces recently met in Troms, Northern Norway, to forge even closer ties. “This cooperation significantly improves our defense capabilities in the North,” says Terje Bruøygard, Commander of the Norwegian Brigade North.
Germany Signals Green Light to Exit Yamal LNG Deal Under EU’s 19th Sanctions Package Germany may invoke “force majeure” to exit Yamal LNG deal. The EU’s 19th sanctions package provides state-owned SEFE legal cover to exit the Russian LNG contract, Germany says. The news is the first concrete step of long-term purchase agreements being unwound, signaling the beginning of the end for Russian gas exports to Europe.
Norwegian Minister of Fisheries: “Fisheries Negotiations With Russia Are Demanding” Bodø, Northern Norway (High North News): After Norway's introduction of EU sanctions against two Russian shipping companies, the Norwegian-Russian fisheries negotiations have come to a halt after 50 years of cooperation. "It is demanding," says Minister of Fisheries, Marianne Sivertsen Næss (Labor). The parties are now working toward a meeting in the Joint Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission, but Næss says they are no closer to setting a date for negotiations.
Summit in the North: Agreed on Enhanced Partnership with Ukraine Bodø (High North News): Eleven defense ministers met in Bodø, Northern Norway, this week to discuss cooperation in the Joint Expeditionary Force coalition. There, the countries signed an agreement on an enhanced partnership with Ukraine.
Iceland and Germany to Enhance Defense Cooperation Iceland and Germany recently signed a letter of intent on increased defense cooperation. "We are ready to assume greater responsibility for stability and security in the High North," says the German Minister of Defense, Boris Pistorius.
U.S. Icebreaker Healy Wraps up Four-Month Patrol of Arctic, Countering Growing Chinese Presence U.S. Coast Guard icebreakersHealyandStorisconducted 129-day and 112-day Arctic deployments this summer. A substantial presence increase over previous summers. Both vessels monitored growing vessel activity in the region with five Chinese research vessels operating in the waters around Alaska.
Continued Uncertainties Regarding Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Negotiations The date for the negotiations in the Joint Norwegian–Russian Fisheries Commission about next year's cod quotas has not been determined. However, the parties have agreed to continue the talks, says the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries.
EU Talks Tough on Russian LNG, But Buys More Than Ever in 2025 The EU energy double standard continues. Just days after agreeing to stop buying Russian LNG by 2027 new data show that the bloc is importing record-levels of the fuel in 2025, up 7 percent over the same period in 2024. During the first six months of 2025 member states spent €4.5 billion on supercooled gas from Russia.
EU President Von Der Leyen: "Arctic At Center of European Security and Independence" European Commission President von der Leyen squarely moved the Arctic to the heart of European security during a speech in Stockholm. “As the ice retreats, the Arctic is moving ever closer to the centre of global geopolitics,” she said. Von der Leyen called for greater investments in the region and announced work on a revised EU Arctic policy.
Bodø Will Host Joint Expeditionary Force MoD Meeting Norway is hosting the defense minister meeting in the coalition Joint Expeditionary Force at the start of November. The defense ministers of the ten JEF countries will gather in Bodø to strengthen cooperation and security in Northern Europe.
Commander of Finnish Jaeger Brigade Keeps His Guard Up, but Doesn’t Think Russia Will Attack Sodankylä (High North News): Russia is unpredictable, but unlikely to cross the threshold of NATO's Article 5, says Marko Kivelä, Commander of the Finnish Jaeger Brigade. "At the same time, it is best to be prepared and take measures to avoid such scenarioes," he underscores.
US Sanctions Against Russian LNG Start to Fray as Chinese Arctic Construction Yard Seeks Lifting of Measures Ten months into the Trump Administration Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 operation continues to pick up steam as the White House has not announced any new sanctions against the sector. Now a Chinese manufacturer who previously provided LNG modules to Russia is seeking removal from the sanctions list. On the EU side two Arctic heavy lift vessels,AudaxandPugnax, were unsanctioned last week.
