High North News - News, analysis and debate about politics and business in the North

Sjef for JFC Norfolk besøker Bodø

“Our Goal Is to Maintain the Arctic as a Stable Place”

Reitan (High North News): Norway and the Nordic region are about to be placed under NATO's Joint Force Command Norfolk in the US. Its establishment in 2019 was a response to a resurgent Russia operating in the Arctic and the North Atlantic. "Events since have only reinforced and validated the decision to establish the command," says the JFC Norfolk commander.

Arne O. Holm says

Arne O. Holm

The Fascists, Autocrats, and Dictators Looking to Ruin Our Democracy Are Creeping Closer

Comment: It is not the fear of a military war in the Arctic that frightens me most. It is the increasingly extensive attack on our democracies that keeps me awake at night. The war is already underway and will not be stopped by expanding weapon arsenals.

Vågehvalen i Nord-Atlanteren er grunnlaget for den norske småhvalfangsten som startet på slutten av 1920-tallet. Den kan bli rundt 9 meter lang, veier omtrent 5-8 tonn og er lett gjenkjennelig på de hvite båndene over sveivene. (Foto: Kjell-Arne Fagerheim/Havforskningsinstituttet)

Calls for Arctic Policy Action on Underwater Noise

A new Arctic Council report from the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment working group predicts a significant increase in underwater noise from shipping in the Arctic Ocean by 2030. This poses a dramatic risk to whales and other noise-sensitive species.

Notices

Politics / 04.06.2025

Finnish MoD Stops Real Estate Sale to Chinese-owned Company in Lapland

On Wednesday, Finland’s Minister of Defense Antti Häkkänen decided to…

POLITICS / 02.06.2025

NATO Delegation to Visit the Norwegian Joint Headquarters in Bodø

On Wednesday, June 4th, a large delegation from Joint Force Command…

POLITICS / 02.06.2025

Denmark Agrees to NATO Proposal to Increase Defense Spending

The Danish government supports a new NATO target of spending 3.5 percent…

BUSINESSPOLITICS / 02.06.2025

Russia’s Rosatom Expects Boom in Foreign Vessels Using the NSR

Russia expects a 50% rise in voyages by foreign vessels using the Northern…

U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker

U.S. Coast Guard’s New Icebreaker ’Storis’ Departs on Maiden Voyage Bolstering Presence in Arctic

The U.S. Coast Guard has taken a first key step in strengthening its Arctic posture. Icebreaker 'Storis' is joining the USCG fleet after a six months conversion process to turn the commercial ice-capable supply vessel into an icebreaker.

The National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska

Alaska Open For Business As Trump Moves to Reverse Biden Era Oil and Gas Restrictions

The Trump Administration plans to open up large swaths of land on Alaska’s North Slope to oil and gas exploration. The proposed change would undo policy protections put in place by the Biden Administration which blocked or limited exploration across the entire Alaska National Petroleum Reserve.

Statens fond i Tromsø, som forvaltes av Folketrygdfondet, skal snart i gang med sine investeringer. Kontoret i de tidligere lokalene til Mack ølbryggeri ble offisielt åpnet mandag av finansminister Jens Stoltenberg (Ap) sammen med tidligere finansminister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum (Sp) og Tromsø-ordfører Gunnar Wilhelmsen. (Foto: Astri Edvardsen)

Opened State Fund in Tromsø, Northern Norway

Tromsø (High North News): On Monday, the Norwegian Minister of Finance Jens Stoltenberg opened the State Fund in Tromsø, which will invest in Nordic small-cap listed companies. This establishment will strengthen Northern Norway's financial environment, says Stoltenberg.

High North News investigates: The Russian Gas Flow

EU Sanctions Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Vessels Routinely Passing Through Norwegian Waters, Stopping at Honningsvåg

A liquefied natural gas carrier working for Russia’s Yamal LNG project stopped in…

Also see

EU Imports of Russian LNG Decrease by One-Third During Month of April

China Looking to Buy More Russian Arctic LNG as EU Aims to Announce Plans in May to Phase Out Imports

Russia Continues Working on Sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 With Wison Power Modules Installation and Gas Flaring

Yamal LNG

Russia to Earn $160bn in Taxes From Northern Sea Route by 2035, Arctic Region Accounts for 7.5 Percent of GDP

New government figures highlight the critical role the Arctic plays in Russia’s…

Fluxys Zeebrugge Terminal

EU Proposes Russian Gas Ban for 2027 But Imports on the Rise Again, Norway Remains Top Supplier

After years of debate the European Commission aims to ban Russian gas by the end of…

Yamal LNG exports

Russia’s Arctic ‘Yamal LNG’ Gas Plant Saw a Record 287 Cargo Loadings in 2024

While Western sanctions have impeded or complicated much of Russia’s energy economy…

Viseadmiral Doug Perry i Bodø

JFC Norfolk Commander to Visit the Norwegian Joint Headquarters

The US Vice Admiral Doug Perry, Commander of Joint Force Command Norfolk, is visiting Bodø, Northern Norway, this week. The NATO command is responsible for the Atlantic Ocean and the High North and will also be closely connected to the coming air operations centre in Bodø.

The Arctic Philharmonic Takes Its Music to Europe

The world's northernmost orchestra, the Arctic Philharmonic, is bringing its northern sounds to some of Europe's most prestigious venues this summer. "Going on tour gives us the opportunity to share a piece of the Arctic with a whole new audience," says Director Trud Berg.

Island statsminister Kristrún Frostadóttir i møte med Natos generalsekretær Mark Rutte. (Foto: Nato)

Iceland Has No Defense of Its Own, Still Wants to Contribute More to NATO

Iceland is developing a new security and defense policy and will increase its defense-related spending, says the country's Prime Minister, Kristrún Frostadóttir. She recently met with NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels, who commended the Icelandic contribution to the alliance despite not having its own armed forces.

Hans-Jacob Bønå

The Border Municipality Is Fighting for Its Existence: “Anything Is Better Than Nothing”

Kirkenes, Northern Norway (High North News): While the Norwegian government is rearming in the North and announcing increased military activity, local businesses are disappearing, and the population is declining, while top politicians are being flown in and out of the region with vague and sweet promises. "We do not need symbolic diplomacy," says the Mayor of Sør-Varanger municipality, that borders to Russia.

Arne O. Holm says

Arne O. Holm

A Good Tax Proposal Which Should Also Be Used Where It Is Most Urgently Needed

Comment: Norway's Minister of Finance utilizes tax measures to get more young people into work. Through a raffle, he aims to test the impact of tax reliefs on those outside the workforce. It is a good proposal and should also be applied to other vulnerable groups.

TU-95MS long-range bomber

Ukraine War Reaches Arctic With Massive Drone Attack on Olenya Air Base Near Murmansk

Russia’s Arctic region around Murmansk was a key target during Ukraine’s “Operation Spiderweb.” Swarms of drones released in proximity to the Olenya Air Base 90km south of Murmansk destroyed a number of long-range bombers and surveillance aircraft.

Lee Jae-myung, January 2025.

South Korea Looking to Transform Port of Busan Into Arctic Shipping Gateway

Could Arctic shipping revive and transform South Korea’s southern ports? Leading presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung believes so, touting his vision of the Asian nation as a key hub for emerging Arctic routes.

De åtte nordiske regjeringssjefene samlet i Finland: (f.v.) Mette Frederiksen (Danmark), Katrin Sjögren (Åland), Aksel V. Johannesen (Færøyene), Ulf Kristersson (Sverige), Petteri Orpo (Finland), Kristrún Frostadóttir (Island), Jonas Gahr Støre (Norge) og Jens-Frederik Nielsen (Grønland). (Foto: Lauri Heikkinen/Den finske statsministerens kontor)

Nordic Summit With Greenland and the Faroe Islands: Reinforcing Preparedness Cooperation

Earlier this week, the heads of government in all eight Nordic countries gathered in Finland. They agreed to include Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Åland in future Nordic ministerial meetings and to strengthen the cooperation on civil preparedness and resilience.

Forsvarssjef Eirik Kristoffersen

“Norway Must Be the One to Have Control in the Areas Closest to Russia”

Kirkenes (High North News): Russia is rattling its sabers along NATO's borders in the North, and the Norwegian prime minister warns against war and opens up for increased allied exercises in the High North. But both Norway's PM and Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen trust Trump to respect Norwegian game rules.

King Charles III: "The True North is Strong and Free"

King Charles addressed the changing relationship between Canada and the U.S. in a rare speech to the Canadian parliament Tuesday, saying that the Canadians can "give themselves far more than any foreign power on any continent can ever take away,” and warns of a "dangerous and uncertain world."

– Det er spesielt passende at det er Grønland som skal holde lederskapsklubba på vegne av kongeriket Danmark – fordi det er den faktiske arktiske delen av riket, sier utenriksminister Barth Eide ved overrekkelsen. (Foto: Arktisk råd)

Arctic Council Working Groups Must Persist Despite Putin and Trump, Says Researcher

AMAP's new Arctic climate report for 2024 shows that the Arctic climate is continuing to change at an alarming rate. Yet, the current geopolitical landscape makes it challenging to translate these findings into political action. "But the Arctic Council Working Groups must continue their work," says FNI researcher Svein Vigeland Rottem. "There will come a time after Trump and Putin."

Arne O. Holm says

Arne O. Holm

High North Politics Are Unlike Other Politics

Comment (Kirkenes, Northern Norway): High North politics are unlike other politics. It is meant to work locally, but also to be understood and defended nationally. It is to balance war rhetoric with a hope of private investors and a viable business sector. Not least, it is to maintain a settlement on the border with Russia's nuclear weapons.

Den sikkerhetspolitiske situasjonen i nord og nordområdenes strategiske betydning var hovedtema da Natos generalsekretær Mark Rutte og hans team gjestet KV Svalbard i Ramsund med statsminister Jonas Gahr Støre som vert. Dette kystvaktfartøyet har isbryterkapasitet og ferdes mye i havområdene ved Svalbard og opp mot Nordpolen. (Foto: Astri Edvardsen)

NATO Secretary General’s Visit to Norway: Increased Focus on the High North Within the Alliance

Ramsund and Evenes (High North News): NATO’s Secretary General Mark Rutte gained in-depth insight into the security situation in the High North when he visited Northern Norway last week. He also got to see how Norwegian and allied forces work together. A very important visit, says Rutte.