Military Leaders Meet Near the Russian Border
This week, 11 military flag officers are meeting in Kirkenes, Norway, for the Arctic Security Forces Roundtable (ASFR).
On the agenda are grey-zone threats, which are security threats to a nation that fall below the threshold of armed conflict.
The annual ASFR forum is being held close to the border between Norway and Russia where protections from grey-zone threats in the Arctic environment are evident. This year, discussions focus on opportunities and challenges for cooperation around grey-zone threats. It is important to create understanding among our close allies about how the security situation in the Arctic is perceived in a turbulent and uncertain time.
“Military security and NATO’s presence in the Arctic are crucial for maintaining stability in the face of the increasing geopolitical tensions and global interests in the region,” said Army Brigadier Thor Andreas Kårsten, the Norwegian Defence Staff’s Chief of Operations and ASFR’s co-chair.
“Hosting the forum in Kirkenes this year provides a special setting for the discussions and underlines the importance of continuous collaboration among the artic members.”
The intention with the meeting is to promote Arctic security cooperation between the nations operating in and around the region, and to promote peaceful development of the Arctic region and a rules-based international order.