Sweden ready to contribute to NATO presence in the Arctic

TT

Published 19.18

 

Minister of Defense Pål Jonson (M). Archive Photo: Wiktor Nummelin/TT

NATO will increase its commitment in the Arctic and launch Operation Arctic Sentry.

– Sweden is ready to contribute, says Minister of Defense Pål Jonson (M).

Arctic Sentry does not mean, however, that the alliance will immediately increase its military presence in the Arctic.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte states that initially it will be about NATO coordinating the military exercises that various NATO countries already conduct regularly in the region. For example, Norway's Cold Response, in which several NATO countries participate, and Denmark's Arctic Endurance in Greenland.

NATO will also coordinate the member states' monitoring of the Arctic.

– We will bring everything we do in NATO under one command, says Rutte.

Strengthens NATO

According to him, the coordination will increase NATO's impact in the Arctic and knowledge of the region.

Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson also points out that Arctic Sentry will give the alliance a better common situational picture of the region.

NATO has similar operations in the Baltic Sea, Baltic Sentry (sentinel in Swedish), and along Eastern Europe's border with Russia, Eastern Sentry.

Jonson points out that Sweden is one of seven countries in the alliance that is also an Arctic country.

- We have the capabilities to contribute, he says.

Jonson does not want to go into what Sweden could contribute, but points out that work is underway within NATO to review what needs exist.

Increased interest

Sweden already has the main responsibility for the alliance's forward land forces in northern Finland and carries out air patrols for NATO from Iceland.

The background to the Arctic Sentry being launched is that the region is opening up new shipping lanes and economic opportunities due to melting ice.

– We have seen over time that Russia has taken back many of its military infrastructure parts in the Arctic area and we see that China is operating there, especially with various types of research vessels.

– As these countries increase their presence, it is natural that NATO has a deeper role.

However, NATO's increased involvement in the Arctic can also be seen as a signal to US President Donald Trump, who has criticized Denmark for not taking Greenland's defense seriously and has previously threatened to take over Greenland.