Canada and its allies are prepared to defend the arctic, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday in Bardufoss, Norway, after observing NATO’s Cold Response exercises.
He held a news conference alongside Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Asked by a German reporter whether the "conflict" over the Trump administration's demands for Greenland is settled, the leaders emphasized Greenland's independence.
"It's up to the people in Greenland and the King of Denmark to trace the future for the people in Greenland," Store said.
"Any attempt to say that a country can take land from another country is unacceptable. It's not acceptable to international law, and especially something which should be unheard of among allies."
Barrie's News Delivered To Your Inbox
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Central Ontario Broadcasting, 431 Huronia Rd, Barrie, Ontario, CA, https://www.cobroadcasting.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
Carney said he fully supported that statement and added allies are "fully prepared, individually and collectively, to defend the Arctic."
"What this operation is about, this training exercise, is to further build those capabilities, against Russia, against any external threat," Carney said.
Carney is visiting at the invitation of Norway, which hosts these joint NATO exercises every two years.
This year, about 32,000 troops from 14 different nations are taking part in the exercises, which are aimed at enhancing the alliance’s Arctic military capabilities. Seven thousand troops are participating in the exercise in Finland.
The Canadian Armed Forces would not say exactly how many Canadian troops are taking part.
Norwegian military officials described the exercise as covering "everything from space to submarines."
Carney is scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with Store on Saturday. They're expected to talk about foreign investment, clean energy, critical minerals, aerospace and artificial intelligence.
The two are also expected to talk about global energy security as the war in Iran continues to disrupt global supply chains.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2026.
