Newsletter: Diplomatic Acrobatics
"It is particularly fitting that Greenland will hold the leadership baton on behalf of the Kingdom of Denmark – because it is the actual Arctic part of the kingdom, says Norwegian Foreign Minister Barth Eide at the presentation. (Photo: Arctic Council)
Dear reader. On Monday, the eight Arctic states "gathered" for what is referred to as the most important meeting in the Arctic this year. Denmark and Greenland have taken over the chairship of the Arctic Council after surviving on diplomatic acrobatics for two years. HNN was present when the baton changed hands.
While the Trump Administration is stepping up efforts in its pursuit of “acquiring” Greenland and threatens to take over Canada, the Arctic countries “met” in Northern Norway, where the Kingdom of Denmark, spearheaded by Greenland, has taken over the chairship of the Arctic Council.
Researchers at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute called it the most important meeting in the Arctic this year. (Norwegian only)
There has been significant tension attached to whether or not the US would throw a spanner in the works of Denmark/Greenland's focus on Indigenous peoples and climate for the next two years.
"The Council must continue to be the foremost forum for cooperation in the Arctic," says Greenland's MFA to journalist Astri Edvardsen, who was present with commentator Arne O. Holm. (Norwegian only)
“The only thing that mattered was that the council had survived a Russian full-scale war against a neighboring country, and now with ambitions to also survive Donald Trump as the US president,” Holm states in a special comment regarding the meeting.
The Inuit Circumpolar Council commends the Kingdom of Denmark’s Chairship Program.
Preparedness in the North
New measures are bolstering Nordic defense cooperation.
"Sweden and Finland's accession to NATO has made Narvik and NATO even more important for our security,” Stoltenberg said to HNN's Astri Edvardsen.
"The Norwegian government must stop hesitating regarding preparedness," believes Chair of the Nordland County Government, Svein Øien Eggesvik (Center). (Norwegian only)
Currently, I am out in the districts, more specifically, Norway's capital Oslo, where the Svalbard Treaty's 100th anniversary is to be celebrated with pomp and splendor, royalty, and debate. Does the treaty hold while the world goes off its hinges? Stay tuned and find out!
Arctic greetings from the south,
Editor-in-Chief Trine Jonassen