Newsletter: United Nordic Front Against Russia

Back then: The Russian MFA Sergey Lavrov, together with the then US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, in Rovaniemi, Finland in May 2019. On the left, former Norwegian MFA Ine Eriksen Søreide. (Photo: Arne O. Holm).

Published at: Dec 17 2023 - 19:24 / Updated at: Dec 17 2023 - 19:24

Dear reader. Quickly and under the radar, Sweden and the US have agreed on a joint defense agreement, closely followed by Finland. The aim is to deter Russia. We also cover the Swedish and Norwegian industries and space industry. Here is the week as seen from the North.

Text Trine Jonassen

Translation: Birgitte Annie Molid Martinussen

Sweden has negotiated and signed a defense agreement with the USA in about a year. Now, Finland's defense cooperation agreement with the US is also public.

“This US-Nordic strength-building in the North aims to deter Russia from an attack, as we have seen Russia willing to do in Ukraine,” writes Editor-in-Chief Arne O. Holm in this week's commentary.

In addition, a Russian politician and close confidante of President Vladimir Putin suggested that Moscow should consider taking back Alaska from "a weakened USA."

Industrial news

Swedish mining company LKAB and the Hybrit project will receive SEK 3.1 billion from the Swedish Energy Agency. This will go towards building a demonstration plant in Northern Sweden to produce fossil-free sponge iron for the steel industry.

Other positive news for LKAB, which recently made significant discoveries of mineral resources in Northern Sweden:

The European Parliament gave the green light for new plans to increase the EU's self-sufficiency of critical raw materials.

Norwegian Freyr Battery – which was supposed to build a factory in Northern Norway – is organizing an extraordinary general meeting today to vote on whether the company should be redomiciled from Luxemburg to the US.

And soon, Starlink satellites could be used to provide space-based communication for the US military across the Arctic.

People and climate

Extended arrangements for reducing student loans, increased child benefits, permanent trainee programs, and measures for new housing. These are among the recommendations to make people move to – and stay – in the North.

Also, read this open letter to the Norwegian Chair of the Arctic Council, where the environmental foundation Bellona and the Clean Arctic Alliance urge the council to update its targets to reduce emissions of black carbon.

Read about this and more at High North News.

Wishing you all the best for this Advent weekend,

Trine Jonassen, News Editor

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