Norway reasserts control over Svalbard amid renewed US Arctic ambitions

Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s revived rhetoric about “acquiring” Greenland has reignited concerns across the Arctic, with Norway particularly on edge over the strategic Svalbard archipelago.

Svalbard, a 62,000-square-kilometer expanse of snow, ice, and political sensitivity, remains a key focus for Oslo. Home to about 2,500 residents—and nearly as many polar bears—the archipelago also hosts two officially recognized Russian settlements, Barentsburg and Pyramiden, inhabited by roughly 200 people in total. These are the only Russian towns located within NATO territory, Caliber.Az reports, citing Bloomberg.

Located around 1,100 kilometers from Russia’s Kola Peninsula, Svalbard has long maintained cross-border ties with its eastern neighbor. But those relationships began to fray following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Traditional joint gatherings ceased, and local Norwegian celebrations have since become more subdued.

Now, with Trump once again expressing interest in Greenland, tensions are rising in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Svalbard. Local politician and council head Terje Aunevik warned that the region must be integrated into national defense planning amid growing global competition in the Arctic. His remarks sparked swift condemnation from Moscow, which accused Norway of violating the 1920 Svalbard Treaty that prohibits militarization of the archipelago during peacetime.

Oslo denied the allegations, insisting that Norway has no intention of transforming Svalbard into a demilitarized zone, and reaffirmed its sovereignty over the territory.

The strategic importance of the region is not lost on Norway’s leadership. Visitors to the prime minister’s office in Oslo are greeted by a towering taxidermy polar bear named Nina—shot on Svalbard a decade ago after mauling a Czech tourist. She now stands as a symbol of Norway’s Arctic presence.

“Svalbard is as much a part of Norway as Oslo is. And if needed, we will defend it,” said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. A longtime advocate of Arctic diplomacy, Støre first introduced the concept of the “High North–Low Tension” policy while serving as foreign minister from 2005 to 2012. Though the landscape has changed, he maintains that peaceful cooperation remains the cornerstone of Norway’s Arctic approach.

Still, concerns remain. Aunevik describes Svalbard as “a peaceful oasis amid great power rivalry,” adding that he fears neither Trump nor Putin. “It’s in everyone’s interest that Svalbard stays Norwegian,” he said, emphasizing that the archipelago is the product of international collaboration—not colonial ambition.

By Khagan Isayev