Russia is biggest security threat in the Arctic, Canada's Carney says at Nordic-Canadian summit

Canada and five Nordic nations pledge closer military and industrial cooperation to strengthen Arctic security amid rising concerns over Russia.

Reuters

March 15, 2026

Russia is biggest security threat in the Arctic, Canada's Carney says at Nordic-Canadian summit

Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo gather at the government's representative building in Oslo, Norway, March 15, 2026.

Thomas Fure/Reuters

Russia is the "biggest physical security threat" in the Arctic region, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters on Sunday (March 15) following a meeting with Nordic leaders in Oslo.

Canada and the five Nordic countries said they have agreed to deepen cooperation on military industrial production and other topics, in the latest push by Carney to build new global alliances.

Carney has sought closer ties with China and Middle Eastern countries as well as India and Europe, as he tries to reduce his country's dependence on the United States and forge a trading order led by what he calls middle-power countries.

The prime ministers of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Canada said they aimed to boost their collective defense, security and resilience by working more closely together on defense procurement.

Production: Anita Kobylinska/Reuters