NATO on Monday launched its biennial Arctic military exercise Cold Response, involving roughly 25,000 troops from 14 countries across northern Europe. The drills, running from March 9 to 19, will take place primarily in northern Norway and Finland, regions that border Russia and are considered strategically vital to the alliance’s northern defence.
The exercise is part of Arctic Sentry, a broader NATO initiative aimed at strengthening the alliance’s military presence in the polar region amid rising geopolitical competition.
Participants include troops from the United States, Norway, Finland and Denmark, among others, with the United States expected to contribute around 4,000 personnel to the operation.
Arctic Security Tensions Rise
The drills are unfolding against a backdrop of heightened tensions over the strategic importance of the Arctic. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly argued that the United States should control Greenland, currently an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, to counter potential influence from Russia and China in the region.
Both the Danish government and Greenland’s authorities have firmly rejected the idea, insisting that the island is not for sale.
Despite the diplomatic friction, Denmark is still participating in the NATO drills alongside U.S. forces, highlighting the alliance’s continued effort to maintain unity in Arctic defence planning.
Civilian Role in Defence Strategy
A key feature of this year’s exercise is a stronger emphasis on the role of civilians in supporting military operations during wartime.
Norway has declared 2026 the year of “total defence,” a concept that integrates civilian infrastructure, public institutions and private companies into national defence planning. The approach reflects a broader trend among Nordic countries to strengthen societal resilience in the face of potential conflict.
According to Lars Lervik, head of the Norwegian Army, military readiness depends heavily on the ability of civilian systems to continue functioning during crises.
During the drills, NATO will test how hospitals and emergency services in northern Norway could handle a surge of casualties transported from a simulated frontline in neighbouring Finland.
Military Adjustments and Global Commitments
Although the United States remains a key participant, the U.S. military has withdrawn one squadron of F-35 Lightning II fighter jets that were initially scheduled to take part in the exercise.
Officials declined to confirm whether the redeployment was linked to ongoing military commitments elsewhere, including tensions in the Middle East, noting that U.S. forces are frequently reassigned depending on operational priorities.
Analysis: The Arctic as a Strategic Frontier
NATO’s expanded focus on the Arctic underscores the region’s growing strategic importance in global geopolitics. Climate change has accelerated the melting of polar ice, opening new shipping routes and increasing access to energy and mineral resources. As a result, competition among major powers for influence in the region has intensified.
For NATO, strengthening military readiness in the Arctic serves multiple purposes. It signals deterrence toward Russia, which has significantly expanded its military infrastructure across its Arctic territory in recent years, while also demonstrating alliance unity amid broader geopolitical tensions.
The emphasis on civilian preparedness reflects a shift in modern defence planning toward what many countries describe as “whole-of-society” security strategies. In potential high-intensity conflicts, the resilience of infrastructure, healthcare systems and supply chains can become as critical as traditional military capabilities.
By incorporating these elements into exercises such as Cold Response, NATO is acknowledging that future conflicts particularly in remote and logistically challenging regions like the Arctic will depend not only on military strength but also on the ability of civilian systems to sustain operations under extreme pressure.
As geopolitical competition spreads to new domains, from cyberspace to polar regions, the Arctic is increasingly emerging as a strategic frontier where military readiness, economic interests and climate-driven changes intersect.
With information from Reuters.
