Friday, February 13, 2026-NATO has kicked off a major new security initiative called Arctic Sentry, aimed at strengthening the alliance’s military posture in the strategically crucial Arctic and High North. Launched on February 11, 2026, the effort brings together NATO and allied military exercises — such as Denmark’s Arctic Endurance and Norway’s Cold Response — under a unified command structure led by Joint Force Command Norfolk. This consolidated approach gives NATO greater visibility into allied activities in the Arctic, enabling faster response to emerging threats and closing security gaps across air, land, sea, cyber, and space domains.
The timing of Arctic Sentry is significant: it follows weeks of tensions within the alliance triggered by President Donald Trump’s controversial push to acquire Greenland, which strained relations with Denmark and other European partners. Allies are now using the initiative to pivot from internal disputes toward collective defence priorities, emphasizing deterrence against increasing Russian military activity in the region and growing Chinese interest in Arctic resources and sea routes.
Countries are already stepping up contributions to the effort. Sweden plans to deploy fighter jets and special forces to patrol around Iceland and Greenland, while Denmark has committed advanced F-35 jets to strengthen regional surveillance and readiness. The United Kingdom is also expanding troop deployments to Norway as part of broader Arctic deterrence measures. With Arctic Sentry now under way, NATO is signaling a renewed, urgent focus on securing the High North amid rising geopolitical competition — and a clear move to put alliance discord behind it.
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