European leaders will hold Arctic summit to focus on security and defense investment

Leaders of many European countries will hold an Arctic summit on the 13th in the town of Rovaniemi on the edge of Finland's Arctic region. As the competition among major powers in the Arctic increases, the summit will discuss strengthening investment in security and defense in the Arctic and strengthening Europe's influence in the region.

Bloomberg reported on the 12th that with Russia’s military threat rising, China also seeking to gain a foothold in the Arctic, and U.S. President Trump seeking to acquire Greenland, the “European Arctic Summit” is related to the EU’s influence in the Arctic. The host, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, said that the Arctic "is becoming a place where the interests of all parties converge." Europe and the United States are facing competition with Russia and China for the use and control of the Arctic. "Therefore, the United States and Europe have common interests and need to act together."

The summit comes as the EU is formulating a new Arctic strategy. According to a draft summit communiqué obtained by Bloomberg, participating leaders are expected to call on the EU to assume a "more strategic and proactive role" in the European Arctic and invest "sufficient resources" consistent with changes in geopolitical realities. They also emphasize the need to increase investment in "military mobility", which is the infrastructure required to mobilize North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) troops and armaments. They specifically point out "critical and urgently needed" areas, such as strengthening transportation links such as roads and railways, as well as digital communications, satellite technology, and the ability to respond to hybrid threats.

"Russia's ambition to strengthen its influence in the Arctic, coupled with its hostility towards Europe, including increasing hybrid operations, underscore the need to strengthen European Arctic policy," the draft said.

Finland shares a 1,340-kilometer border with Russia. The neighboring Kola Peninsula of Russia is a major deployment site for Russia's nuclear deterrence forces, including the Northern Fleet, submarines and a large number of air forces.

The European Commission has proposed that the next budget will allocate 131 billion euros to invest in defense, security and space, which is five times the current budget. Military mobility expenditures will increase 10 times. In addition, 200 million euros are being invested to strengthen relations with Greenland. The summit will also discuss joint procurement or joint ownership of icebreakers by European countries. "The defense of Europe is here," Orpo said. Strengthening the north is not only in the interest of Finland, "but also in the interest of Europe as a whole."