Arctic Frontiers Conference: Remarks by the High Representative Kaja Kallas at the Joint press conference with Espen Barth Eide, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway

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It is a pleasure to be here in Tromsø, and thank you for hosting us.  

For quite some time, the Arctic has been the region of low tension and high cooperation. Of course, the security environment in Europe has completely changed after Russia started the war in Ukraine. China might not be buying up the Arctic just yet, but it is steadily expanding its footprint. And the United States’ outspoken claims to Greenland underline the simple reality: the Arctic is no longer a quiet corner on the map. It is the front line of the global power competition.  

This morning, Espen and I, we visited the Norwegian coast guard ship, and this ship, that you can see just in front of this hotel, is a strong symbol of what it takes to protect the security in some of the world's harshest conditions.  
Hybrid threats are growing steadily in intensity and frequency: GPS jamming, sabotage, spying, actions below the threshold of war are real here and elsewhere in Europe.  

This goes together with Russia's enduring military buildup in the high north. In response, European allies are stepping up on Arctic security, and the European Union is ready to do its part. 

But to be very clear, security is not about soldiers and ships. It is all about resilient societies, it is trusted institutions, it is secure infrastructure and sustainable livelihoods. Here also, the European Union contributes greatly, including through financial support, scientific cooperation and research tools.

Together with Member States, we are updating our EU Arctic strategy. This will reflect the changed security landscape and have Greenland as a core pillar. To keep the region safe, partnerships are indispensable. Norway is one of the EU's closest partners and most trusted partners.  

Together with NATO, we work to ensure the stability, security and deterrence in the high north.  EU-Norway Security and Defence Partnership is moving from paper to action, and we are deepening cooperation in cyber security, maritime security, and the protection of critical infrastructure.  

And as a concrete example, the EU’s SAFE defence financing instrument is also open to Norway and Norwegian companies are also going to continue to perform strongly in the European defence fund programs. These examples show how mutually beneficial our partnership is, and of course the EU is ready to take this partnership even further.  

So dear Espen, dear Minister, thank you for having us here today.