Leading in the Arctic

In early October 2025, Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir said she wanted Iceland to play a leading role in how defence and trade develop in the Arctic. She made the remarks after the European Political Community summit in Copenhagen: “We want to cooperate, of course, but above all to lead in our own region.”

With that in mind, we asked the authors to write from a single idea: that Iceland is, or could be, a leader in the Arctic. What does that mean for Iceland?

The answers in this issue fall broadly into three groups. First, the authors point to areas where Iceland could lead. Jóhann Páll Jóhannsson, Minister of the Environment, Energy and Climate, widens the field beyond defence and trade and treats the weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) as a matter of national security. Bryndís Haraldsdóttir and Heiðar Guðjónsson see opportunities in closer ties with Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

Second, the articles address what leadership requires. Ísak Einar Rúnarsson points out that transport and logistics are a precondition for everything else. Bjarni Már Magnússon notes that preparedness is as much the responsibility of municipalities as of ministries. Guðbjörg Ríkey Th. Hauksdóttir argues that Iceland needs its own China policy before others shape one for it.

Third, the issue offers a view from outside. Cecilie Willoch, Norway’s Ambassador to Iceland, describes how an ally that already carries a heavy burden in the region manages its affairs.

A year has passed since the Prime Minister set out this vision. The authors of this issue of Tímarit Vörðu explore several ways to make it a reality.

We thank the authors for their contributions.

Kristinn Árni L. Hróbjartsson, co-founder of Varða and editor of Tímarit Vörðu.