The Arctic region is heating up, not only because of the climate, but also because of great power politics.
Has Finland, on the other hand, frozen in place in its Arctic policy?
Yes, at least in part, and now we have to find a new direction.
This is the opinion of the Program Director of the Foreign Policy Institute (UPI). Harri Mikkola, who leads the Northern European security and NATO research program. Mikkola’s field is arctic research.
– Criticism has been expressed that Finland has been hit by a certain arctic polar road and we don’t really know what we want to do in the arctic region.
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022 also revolutionized the Arctic operating environment. In Mikkola’s opinion, Finland should be updated to beginners first its arctic strategywhich is from 2021 and is valid until 2030.
– Many of its parts are outdated and no longer valid, even though there are good points, Mikkola tells .
According to Mikkola, Finland’s Arctic know-how would also require a new awakening.
Ten years ago, Finland’s Arctic cold expertise was considered the new Nokia, the savior of the Finnish economy.
– These expectations have not been met, Mikkola says directly.
Will Arctic cooperation remain at a standstill?
The great powers Russia, China and now also the United States are racing for military and economic supremacy in the Arctic region.
Trump’s visions of joining Greenland to the United States are an extreme example of the importance of the region.
In Mikkola’s opinion, Finland also needs to be more and more prepared for the growing geostrategic importance of the Arctic region.
With the NATO membership of Finland and Sweden, the Arctic operating environment is currently completely different from before.
– Maintaining Arctic stability has become even more difficult, and it has basically become based on armed force, Mikkola states.
The common operating environment of the states is also difficult at the moment.
Russia’s military actions in Ukraine destroyed the long-standing Arctic cooperation between the states. At the same time, some of the spearheads of Finland’s Arctic policy also lost their direction.
Among other things, a key interstate actor Arctic Council sank into the deep ice. Thanks to Finland’s activities, the council was established in 1996 to solve climate issues in the Arctic region.
Now an attempt has been made to remedy the situation by re-tuning climate cooperation with Russia, an important collector of Arctic climate data.
However, Mikkola draws a strict line for cooperation.
– Reestablishing political cooperation in the Arctic Council would definitely be strategically and morally wrong, says Mikkola.
According to Mikkola, Trump’s views bring their own addition to the soup.
– Trump has a very negative, even disdainful, attitude towards multilateralism and climate change issues, which have been at the heart of Arctic cooperation, Mikkola states.
Instead, Finland’s share ended up completely in deep ice in the Barents Euro-Arctic Council.
Finland has decided to leave the Council after the current year 2025. Foreign minister Elina Valtonen (collective) according to the Council no longer meets Finland’s needs in the changed situation.
Finland is looking for a place in the Arctic
Finland is not completely frozen in place. Petteri Orpon (co.) government program takes a position on the development of the north in the fresh In the program of Northern Finland.
The program focuses on the economic growth of northern Finland and accelerating investments. The changed Arctic geopolitics and securing Finland’s security of supply in the north are also mentioned on the agenda.
Finland’s long-term goal has been a stable and prosperous North.
According to Mikkola, Arctic policy has been very important to Finland compared to many other Arctic countries.
So how have the goals turned out?
However, according to Mikkola, Finland is doing the right things at the moment.
– Let’s develop the defense and military deterrence of the northern regions to the level that this stable and prosperous Northland, which we are aiming for, is possible, says Mikkola.
He points out that the United States also pursues its strategic interests with its allies. During Trump’s previous term, US military cooperation in the Nordic region increased.
– The commitment of the United States to the Nordic region is extremely important.
Finland no longer has anything to do with the Russian Arctic market, but Mikkola sees opportunities on the other side of the Atlantic.
– Positive news is, for example, the icebreaker agreement concluded with the United States and Canada, which may also bring financial benefits to Finland, Mikkola reminds.