A group of 12 European countries has called on the EU to strengthen its presence in the Arctic

A group of 12 European countries today called on the European Union (EU) at a summit in Finland to strengthen its presence in the Arctic due to the Russian threat, reported the Parisian newspaper Le Monde.

“We call on the EU to take a more strategic and proactive role in the European part of the Arctic,” stated the 12 European countries in a joint declaration adopted after the summit in the city of Rovaniemi in northern Finland.

Among the signatories are France, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and Greece.

The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, stated at a press conference that what is happening in the Arctic is not a regional but a European issue.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized that the EU’s engagement in the region should be strengthened.

No official decision was made at the end of the meeting. However, the gathering was held ahead of the expected presentation of the new Arctic strategy by the European Commission.

This presentation is expected in the coming weeks, and the strategy should define the direction of Brussels’ policy toward this region in the coming years.