00:01Twelve European nations have urged the European Union to scale up its presence in the Arctic amid threats from Moscow
00:09and U.S. President Donald Trump.
00:11We call for the European Union to take on a more strategic and proactive role in the European Arctic, the
00:17countries wrote in a joint statement following the European Arctic summit in Rovaniemi in northern Finland.
00:24Speaking to reporters on Monday, Kaya Kelas, the EU's top diplomat, said the bloc had to remain attentive.
00:31We have to remain vigilant. That's why we are also putting forward a new EU Arctic strategy that has security
00:39at its core, because it is clear that this is part of the security architecture of the EU.
00:47In this strategy, of course, we will come out with this later in October, but clearly there will be also
00:56concrete projects.
00:58The Arctic acts as an important gateway connecting North America and Europe, providing key transport, communication and trade links.
01:07According to NATO, Moscow has significantly ramped up its military activity in the region.
01:13Beijing also has vested interest in the Arctic, particularly in gaining access to critical minerals, energy and new communications lines
01:21per NATO.
01:22The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made a trip to Greenland earlier this month to signal its continued
01:30support for the inland amid Trump's repeated calls for the United States to acquire it.
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