Norway is an essential partner for Germany in the High North as regards values, security and trade. The High North has become a geopolitical hotspot of strategic importance for our common security. Particularly in the Arctic and the North Atlantic, it has become abundantly clear that following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, we need to realign our security, defence and deterrence vis-à-vis Russia at NATO’s eastern and northern flanks. Europe’s transatlantic lifelines – data cables, energy infrastructure, air freight flight paths and increasingly shipping routes in the Arctic – run through the North Atlantic.

Both economically and militarily, Russia is becoming ever more active in a region that is of enormous strategic importance for our security – and it has no qualms about using provocation and hybrid attacks. China is also systematically boosting its presence in the Arctic. Climate change is increasing the geopolitical drift. Temperatures in the Arctic are rising four times faster than in the rest of the world. Melting ice is opening up new maritime routes and access to critical raw materials such as rare earths, thus creating new competition at the Arctic latitudes. This makes it all the more crucial that we NATO Allies stand up together for stability and security in the High North.

Germany and Norway stand side by side in NATO. We are constantly strengthening the Alliance’s northern flank against both new and old threats. The 212CD class submarine co-developed by Germany and Norway, which Canada decided last week to procure for its submarine fleet, vividly exemplifies our outstanding cooperation. This cooperation will bring about the largest, most powerful and most modern conventional submarine fleet in NATO and take our transatlantic defence capabilities in the North Atlantic to a completely new level. Our soldiers’ capabilities are also increasing. Over a thousand German servicemen and -women took part in the NATO Exercise Cold Response in Norway this year – a clear sign that we are preparing together to meet new developments in the North Atlantic. In this context, I will also visit the Norwegian Joint Headquarters in Reitan that are vital for monitoring the entire region.

Be it for the future of our energy supply, such as hydrogen production, safeguarding critical supply chains and the supply of raw materials, or technological progress, for example in space research in Norway and Sweden, Norway’s security in the High North is intrinsically linked to our own security. We regard the northern region – a key strategic area with strong and reliable partners – as of the utmost importance. That is why I will travel on to Finland on Wednesday.