Security in the High North

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has radically changed the security situation in Europe, particularly on NATO’s eastern and northern flanks. Tomorrow, Foreign Minister Wadephul will therefore be visiting the Norwegian Joint Headquarters in Reitan together with his Norwegian counterpart Eide in order to gain a first-hand impression of the significance of the Nordic countries for transatlantic security.

Prior to his departure, Foreign Minister Wadephul commented:

In the High North, the changed security threat for NATO is becoming particularly tangible, for Russia is increasing its economic and military presence in the region. In this context, Russia has no qualms about using provocation and hybrid attacks. China is also systematically boosting its presence in the Arctic. After all, this is where crucial connections run through the North Atlantic, such as undersea cables, air transit routes and increasingly also shipping routes. Norway, as a strong and reliable NATO partner, has a central role to play in protecting European interests in the North Atlantic and the Arctic, particularly in the monitoring and assessment of the situation.

The security of NATO’s northern flank and the protection of critical infrastructure are of outstanding importance for all partners in the Alliance. Germany is therefore actively involved in securing the northern flank, not least through participation in exercises such as Cold Response and by further developing the Maritime Security Partnership together with Norway, Canada, Denmark and Iceland.

Canada’s decision to procure the 212CD class submarine developed by Germany and Norway likewise underscores the close nature of our transatlantic cooperation. The intensified cooperation in the area of fleets and maintenance infrastructure will raise security in the Atlantic to a new level and strengthen our partnership and capabilities in the North Atlantic in the long term by building the most state-of-the-art conventional submarine fleet.

Foreign Minister Wadephul issued the following statement on this subject today:

Space, hydrogen and waterways: a region with considerable potential

Climate change is also accelerating the geopolitical drift in the High North: temperatures in the Arctic are rising much faster than in other world regions. The melting ice is opening up new shipping routes and facilitating access to strategically important raw materials, including rare earths.

This is boosting the international race for influence and resources in the region. Economic and technological competition is another factor alongside security issues. Against this backdrop, ensuring stable framework conditions and the sustainable use of the fragile environment is especially important.

The High North is also crucial for Europe’s access to space. Aerospace hubs in Norway and Sweden enable us to travel into space from Europe. The High North also offers considerable potential for the production of hydrogen as well as for the diversification of critical supply chains in the area of rare earths. This strengthens Europe’s sovereignty and its autonomy as a strong pillar in the transatlantic alliance.

At the same time, the development of the region requires responsible consideration of its vulnerable environment. The impact of climate change is already clearly evident in the High North. This underscores the need for sustainable economic activities. The visit to the High North Center at Nord University in Bodø has the goal of intensifying discussion of these issues with academics.

For Germany, the North Atlantic and Arctic area remains a crucial strategic region for European security and economic sovereignty. With Norway, we have a strong and reliable friend and partner by our side.