Canada and Nordic Five unite to protect sovereignty through Arctic defence

Political commentator Scott Reid breaks down Carney’s meeting with Nordic leaders and the biggest threats facing the region.

OSLO — The prime ministers of the five Nordic nations and Canada pledged Sunday to advance security and stability in the Arctic in the face of rising geopolitical instability wrought by wars launched by Russia and the United States.

“We believe these six countries are not weak countries. They are strong countries in terms of their determination and their values,” said Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre after convening the Canada-Nordic Summit.

In their joint statement, the leaders of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Canada said they are committed to Arctic security and “to ensuring that the people who live in our part of the world can prosper in peace.”

They declared themselves “democracies and countries committed to the rule of law, human rights and the territorial integrity of and sovereignty of states.”

Davos remarks in action

Prime Minister Mark Carney was invited by Støre for his first official visit to Norway, following Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum in January, where he spoke about middle powers uniting to counter pressure from “great power rivalry.”

At the time of Carney’s speech in Davos, Trump had threatened to take over Greenland, possibly with military force.

Greenland is a semi-autonomous Danish territory. Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen thanked Carney “from the bottom of her heart” for his Davos speech.

“We have had totally unacceptable pressure from the U.S. and the U.S. president. It has been very difficult for the people in Greenland to experience this.”

Frederiksen said that the common values shared by their “good friends in the Nordic countries and Europe and also from outside, … especially you Mark (Carney),” are a reason Denmark and Greenland have been able to stand firm.

Canada’s sovereignty

Trump has referred to Carney as “governor” multiple times and has posted memes of the American flag stretching across a map of the U.S. Canada and Greenland.

Carney was asked directly by Danish media if Canada would provide military assistance if another NATO ally invaded Greenland. He said “necessary measures” would be taken in concert with other allies.

“Being clear that we will back that with measures as necessary as a partner,” Carney said without naming the U.S. He said that Canada, the European Union and others have been clear about these fundamental principles, and that the goal now is “to secure a better security umbrella” over the Arctic and Greenland.

Carney also said that the Nordics and Canada would cooperate to build up Arctic defences as they increase their NATO budgets. The allies could also assert their economic presence. In the remote north, they could partner to develop the region’s considerable resources such as critical minerals “at speed and scale,” he said.

Seventy per cent of Canada’s defence dollars go to the U.S., but the prime minister said that he wanted to reduce that dependency on the Americans by seeking new international partners to expand the country’s military-industrial complex.

Last week in Yellowknife, Carney announced that the government would spend $35 billion to improve military air bases and airports.

More urgency

The Canada-Nordic summit took on more urgency in the past few days.

The leaders met after Trump loosened sanctions on countries that buy oil from Russia. Trump’s move aimed at stabilizing oil prices in the wake of the U.S. attack on Iran provides the Kremlin with more funds to continue its war against Ukraine, but the money could also be used bolster its military capacity for Arctic expansion.

The prime ministers say they support NATO’s goal to provide a permanent presence in the Arctic. On Friday, Carney and Gahr Store along with German Chancellor Frederich Merz watched a military drill in Bardufoss, Norway. The Cold Response exercises tested the capabilities of 25,000 troops in Norway along with 7,000 soldiers in Finland in extreme winter conditions. Russia was the envisaged enemy in the war simulations.

There is consensus among the Nordic Five and Canada that Russia is their greatest security threat. But host Støre noted any threat to the basic democratic principals of international law, national sovereignty and territorial integrity is even more unacceptable when it comes from an ally.