Canadian authorities are working to make changes to the country’s strategy in the Arctic region, taking into account the geopolitical situation in the world, in particular the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO, Canadian Minister Mélanie Joly said.
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“We need to take stock of the fact that the paradigm that Canada and the Arctic Council have had for a long time, that ‘the further north you go, the less tension,’ is no longer valid,” Joly said.
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She said that the updated strategy will take into account the accession of Sweden and Finland to the North Atlantic Alliance, which, according to her assessment, allows for the strengthening of the “security architecture” in the Arctic region.
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“We will not only work on defense cooperation, military exercises, exchange intelligence, but also coordinate defense procurement and this will underpin not only the renewal of defense policy, but also foreign policy in general,” the head of the Canadian Foreign Ministry added.
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“This is a security issue for North America, but also a security issue for our partners in the Arctic, including those on the other side of the Atlantic. I think this is a significant decision for our country that people will be talking about 20, 30 years from now.” as the right decision,” the head of Canada’s foreign policy department said, emphasizing the need to protect sovereignty and develop infrastructure along the Northwest Passage sea routes through the Arctic Ocean.
