US in Greenland could improve Arctic security, Finnish defence minister suggests
“Looking at the good points in the conversation about this, it seems that the United States is determined to organise the defence and security of the Arctic region,” Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen (NCP) said.
There could be positive aspects regarding US President Donald Trump‘s stated plans for the United States annexing Greenland, according to Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen (NCP).
The minister made the comments on Thursday, after hosting a meeting of Nordic defence ministers in Helsinki, as Finland chairs the Nordic Defence Cooperation (Nordefco) group this year.
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, which —like Finland — is a Nordic Nato ally of the US.
Trump has repeatedly said the US should take over strategically important Greenland, reiterating the sentiment as recently as last weekend, according to the BBC. However, Danish PM Mette Frederiksen told Trump by telephone that Greenland was not for sale, the British public broadcaster reported.
On Thursday morning after the defence ministers’ meeting, Häkkänen highlighted a positive view about the situation.
“Looking at the good points in the conversation about this, it seems that the United States is determined to organise the defence and security of the Arctic region,” Häkkänen said.
“The support for Denmark’s sovereignty in Europe is quite clear,” he said, adding that the situation is being considered “quite calmly”.
The Finnish minister noted that indications of US interest in the Arctic region were also reflected by its plans to make significant acquisitions of icebreakers.
“In that sense, we can also be pleased that the northern region is of significant interest [to the US],” Häkkänen said.
According to Häkkänen, the Nordic countries are aiming to influence Nato to focus more intently on defence arrangements in the Arctic region.
Cable damage incidents
The ministers at the Nordefco meeting also discussed the incidents of ships damaging cables in the Baltic Sea, as well as measures that could be taken to combat hybrid influencing tactics.
However, the minister said the damaged cable incidents were not an indication of raised military tensions.
“They have not increased the risk of a military threat in the immediate vicinity of Finland. People can rest assured about that,” he said.
He added that the reasons behind the incidents remained unclear but indicated that “some sort of influencing may be in the air”, adding that they require “tougher legislative measures from every ministry”.
Regarding possible reasons for the damaged cables, Häkkänen said there were signs suggesting the possibility that hybrid influencing was at play.
“We cannot rule out the possibility of a state actor being behind it, even if no hard evidence is found,” Häkkänen said.
The latest cable damage incident in the Baltic Sea took place last weekend in waters between Sweden and Lithuania. Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson said that authorities in Sweden are investigating the case.
“We cannot rule out sabotage, but each of these cases must be looked at individually. We know the security environment has changed and that we are more vulnerable to hybrid influencing operations than before,” Jonson said after the meeting in Helsinki.
The ministers also discussed deepening Nordic defence cooperation, Nato issues, as well as support for Ukraine.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Survey shows Canadians fear losing Arctic territory without stronger action, CBC News
Denmark: ICC warns against sidelining Inuit as global powers eye Greenland, Eye on the Arctic
Finland: Finland supports Greenland remaining part of Denmark says PM, Yle News
Greenland: Greenlanders overwhelmingly oppose becoming part of the United States, poll shows, Reuters
Russia: New radars sharpen Russian air defense over northern Finland, Norway, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Swedish PM on Trump comments: Only Denmark and Greenland decide, Radio Sweden
United States: Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal, Eye on the Arctic
