Leaders from Canada, Germany and Norway are meeting in Bardufoss above the Arctic Circle to discuss security in the High North as NATO's Cold Response exercise — involving about 25,000 troops from 14 countries — takes place nearby. Norway has scrambled F-35s to intercept Russian aircraft, and Moscow plans missile tests in the Barents Sea. The talks reflect growing strategic competition as the Arctic warms and opens access to resources and new shipping routes.
Canada, Germany and Norway Hold High-Stakes Arctic Security Talks as NATO Drills Ramp Up
The High North was once shielded by the notion that it was immune to geopolitical rivalries (John MACDOUGALL)(John MACDOUGALL/AFP/AFP)
Leaders from Canada, Germany and Norway are meeting in Bardufoss, a military town above the Arctic Circle, to discuss the region's increasingly tense security environment while NATO's large Cold Response exercise is under way nearby.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre will host Canada's prime minister in Bardufoss, where roughly 25,000 troops from 14 countries are taking part in the biennial Cold Response drills designed to train allied forces for operations in extreme winter conditions.
Shifting Arctic Dynamics
The High North long benefited from a norm often called "Arctic exceptionalism," in which regional states largely insulated cooperation in the Arctic from broader geopolitical disputes. That consensus has eroded since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and amid broader strategic competition, prompting closer defense cooperation among NATO members with Arctic territories.
Military Activity And Tensions
Norwegian authorities said they scrambled F-35 jets on consecutive days to intercept Russian military aircraft operating in international airspace north of Norway. The Norwegian military described such flights as routine but said they were likely intended to gather situational awareness related to Cold Response.
Moscow has also announced missile tests in areas near the Barents Sea, a move it has made during past military activities. Meanwhile, France has redirected its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the eastern Mediterranean because of conflict in the Middle East, illustrating how global crises can affect NATO assets and deployments.
Wider Strategic Stakes
The Arctic is warming several times faster than the global average, opening new access to resources — including oil, gas, minerals and fish — and shortening shipping routes. Those environmental changes are amplifying strategic interest from states inside and outside the region.
Before visiting Bardufoss, Merz and Støre are scheduled to stop at the Andøya Space Centre, where German launch firm Isar Aerospace hopes to attempt another launch of its Spectrum rocket. Following the Bardufoss meetings, Canada's prime minister will travel to Oslo to meet the Nordic prime ministers for wider discussions on regional cooperation.
Note on reporting: Some earlier reports included named officials that appear inconsistent with public records. This article avoids repeating potentially inaccurate personal attributions and focuses on confirmed events and activities.
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