Leaders urge EU to expand Arctic presence amid Russia 'threat'

European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas speaks to the media at the Arktikum science centre during the European Arctic Summit, in Rovaniemi, Finland, on September 14, 2026. © Jouni Porsanger via Reuters

Twelve European countries on Monday called for the European Union to step up its presence in the Arctic, as melting ice opens new maritime routes while growing tensions with Russia and the United States increasingly put the region in the geopolitical spotlight.

Twelve European countries meeting in Finland on Monday urged the European Union (EU) to beef up its presence in the Arctic – a contentious geopolitical battleground caught between Russia and US President Donald Trump.