Rovaniemi, Finland. (dpa/GNA) – Europeans leaders meet in Finland on Monday, to coordinate efforts to influence what happens in the Arctic region.
The summit in the northern Finnish city of Rovaniemi, will focus on new shipping routes emerging as Arctic sea ice declines, as well as untapped raw material deposits and security threats posed by Russian and Chinese military activity.
Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, is expected to attend, as is German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, along with the prime ministers of Estonia and Latvia, and the presidents of Lithuania and Romania.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, as well as European Council President António Costa, will also be at the talks.
Frederiksen has had to contend with US President Donald Trump’s persistent desire to control Greenland, an autonomous territory which belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark. Trump argues that Denmark cannot protect the vast Arctic island from Russia and China.
Greenland is not part of the European Union. Earlier this week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, announced closer cooperation during a visit there, as well as an investment package of €200 million ($231 million), which is to be used partly to set up the infrastructure needed to extract valuable raw materials. “The Arctic can no longer be separated from Europe and the Baltic Sea as a security area,” said northern security expert Tobias Etzold.
In addition to Denmark and Norway, Russia, the US and Canada are also counted among the Arctic states. The commission intends to use the summit’s outcomes to help shape its planned new Arctic strategy. Summit host Finland has said that the Arctic must be regarded as an “increasingly important part of Europe’s security environment.”
Finland is keen to ensure that European icebreaker capabilities are included in the strategy. The Finns regard icebreakers as key to Europe’s ability to operate in the High North, arguing that without them it is not possible to reliably safeguard supply and trade routes, or military presence across large parts of the region.
GNA