NATO Arctic showdown? UK to deploy 2,000 troops in Norway

London: Britain on Wednesday announced plans to double the number of its troops stationed in Norway over the next three years and take on a key role in a NATO mission in the Arctic, citing growing concerns over Russia’s activities in the region.

The deployment will see UK forces in Norway increase from 1,000 to 2,000, as part of efforts to reinforce security in the Arctic and High North.

"Arctic and High North security will be strengthened against rising Russian threats as Britain steps up its presence in the region," the UK Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

Defence Secretary John Healey is expected to confirm during a visit to a UK military facility in northern Norway that British forces will participate in NATO’s Arctic Sentry mission, aimed at bolstering regional security.

Also read | Starmer calls on Trump to apologise for ‘insulting and frankly appalling’ NATO remark

The announcement comes as the United States prepares to hand over leadership of two key regional NATO command posts, including the Norfolk command responsible for the alliance’s northern operations, to Britain. Diplomats confirmed over the weekend that Washington would transfer leadership of the Norfolk command to the UK, signalling a push for European allies to assume greater responsibility for defence.

"Demands on defence are rising, and Russia poses the greatest threat to Arctic and High North security that we have seen since the Cold War," Healey said in a statement.

Also read | Dutch brewer Heineken plans up to 6,000 job cuts amid tough market conditions

Security concerns in the region have intensified after US President Donald Trump cited alleged threats from Russia and China to justify repeated remarks about seizing Greenland, prompting European NATO members to step up defence coordination.

In December, the UK and Norway signed a new defence pact under which their navies will jointly operate a warship fleet to "hunt Russian submarines" in the North Atlantic. The agreement is aimed at safeguarding critical undersea infrastructure, including communications cables, which Western officials say face increasing risks from Moscow.

Oslo has also committed to purchasing at least five British-built Type-26 frigates in a deal worth £10 billion ($13 billion).

Also read | Passenger plane skids off runway into sea at Somalia airport, all 55 safe | WATCH

Britain has been expanding its footprint in Norway in recent years. In 2023, it opened Camp Viking in northern Norway as a new hub for the Royal Marines operating in the Arctic environment.

Looking ahead, the UK is set to lead the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), comprising northern European and Baltic nations, in a major military exercise in September. The exercise, named "Lion Protector," will see "air, land, and naval forces from JEF nations train to protect critical national infrastructure from attacks and sabotage."

Meanwhile, a bipartisan delegation of US senators visited Greenland on Monday to "rebuild the trust" strained by Trump’s earlier threats to annex the Danish territory, according to the lawmakers.