Andris Sprūds: Latvia will take part in the NATO Arctic Sentry operation

On Wednesday, 11 February, NATO launched Operation Arctic Sentry. The operation is aimed at strengthening NATO’s position in the Arctic and the High North, while expanding the Alliance’s sustained presence in the region.

"The Arctic is becoming an increasingly important security space where military, economic and geopolitical interests intersect. The launch of NATO’s Operation Arctic Sentry is a clear signal of the Alliance’s determination to defend its territory. The Arctic region is also strategically important for Latvia, as it affects transatlantic supply chains, logistics and overall security. We are ready to contribute by strengthening collective defence and working closely with our Allies," said Latvian Minister of Defence Andris Sprūds.

"Arctic Sentry underscores the Alliance’s commitment to safeguard its members and maintain stability in one of the world’s most strategically significant and environmentally challenging areas," said U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe. "It will leverage NATO’s strength to protect our territory and ensure the Arctic and High North remains secure."

This builds on NATO’s growing focus on Arctic security and follows a meeting between U.S. President Donald J. Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte last month in Davos, Switzerland, where the two leaders agreed that NATO should collectively take more responsibility for the defence of the region considering Russia’s military activity and China’s growing interest there.

The preparations for Arctic Sentry provided NATO planners with full visibility of Allied nations’ activities in the Arctic and High North. Moving forward, ACO will use Arctic Sentry to cohere these actions into one overarching operational approach to Allies’ increasing activities, which will enhance NATO’s presence there. These activities include, among others, Denmark’s Arctic Endurance, a series of multi-domain exercises designed to enhance Allied ability to operate in the region, and Norway’s upcoming exercise Cold Response, where troops from across the Alliance have already begun to arrive.

Arctic Sentry will be led by Joint Force Command Norfolk (JFC Norfolk), the Alliance’s newest Joint Force Command, whose area of responsibility, since December, now includes this entire region. "In terms of NATO’s Joint Force Commands, Norfolk is the bridge between North America and Europe, defending the strategic approaches between the two continents and much more," said Grynkewich. Allied Command Operations and JFC Norfolk will collaborate with Allied Command Transformation and coordinate activities with the U.S. and Canada’s North American Regional Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), as well as with U.S. Northern Command and U.S. European Command.

The Arctic is also important for Latvia’s security and prosperity, as it ensures trade, logistics and communication links between North America and Europe. Latvia plans to participate in Arctic Sentry, and the specific nature and scope of its contribution are currently being coordinated with Allies.

Information prepared by:
MoD Military Public Affairs Department
Media Relations Section
Phone: 67335129
E-mail: prese@mod.gov.lv

Photo source: North Atlantic Treaty Organization