Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo will host a high-level European Arctic Summit in Rovaniemi on September 13-14, bringing together several EU leaders as the bloc seeks to strengthen its strategic approach to the increasingly important Arctic region.
Finland will convene a gathering of European leaders in northern Finland next month to discuss the Arctic’s growing geopolitical and security importance, the Finnish government announced.
The European Arctic Summit, to be held in Rovaniemi on September 13 and 14, will focus on strengthening a common European strategic approach to the region as changing security dynamics and the Arctic’s growing geopolitical significance draw increasing attention from EU countries.
“The Arctic region is an increasingly important part of Europe’s security environment,” Orpo said, emphasizing the European Union’s direct interest in the region’s stability, security and sustainable development.
European leaders to attend
The summit will bring together a group of heads of state and government from EU member states, along with senior EU officials.
Among those expected to attend are German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and Romanian President Nicușor Dan.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and European Council President António Costa will also participate in the meeting.
The gathering is intended to provide an opportunity for EU leaders to discuss the security challenges and long-term interests surrounding the Arctic at a time when the region is becoming increasingly significant to Europe’s wider strategic environment.
Working dinner with Finland’s president
As part of the summit, EU leaders and representatives of European institutions will attend a working dinner with Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Sunday, September 13.
The meeting will also build on Finland’s previous efforts to bring European leaders to the country’s northern regions to discuss security-related issues.
In December 2024, Orpo hosted a north-south summit in Saariselkä, Lapland, where discussions focused on security, defense and preparedness.
The upcoming Rovaniemi summit will place the Arctic at the center of those broader European security discussions, as Finland seeks to strengthen cooperation among EU members on the region’s future.
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