The UK will double its troops in Norway to about 2,000 within three years, Defence Secretary John Healey said. This expanded presence includes 1,500 Royal Marine Commandos joining NATO’s Cold Response exercise in March 2026, focused on operations in extreme Arctic conditions.
The decision follows rising NATO worries about Russia reopening Cold War bases and expanding its forces in the Arctic.
John Healey will meet NATO counterparts in Brussels on February 12 to discuss the proposals, and stated that "Russia poses the greatest threat to Arctic and High North security that we have seen since the Cold War.”
Once a more cooperative partnership, ties between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Moscow have deteriorated sharply, today resembling the tense standoff of the Cold War. NATO leaders view Russia as a direct security threat, but repeated warnings and condemnations from the Alliance have so far had little effect on the Kremlin.
So, how has a previously constructive relationship between NATO and Russia turned so fractious? Click through this gallery and find out more about why Russia fell out with NATO.