Mark Rutte

in Norway and visiting other allies, discussing with the US and with Canada.

I was with Prime Minister Carney last week in Paris, discussing the importance of the Arctic.

So collectively, as an alliance, and particularly, of course, the southern countries who are bordering on the region, we do make this analysis that the collective defense is crucial.

We all see that through changes in weather patterns that sea lanes are opening up.

um and we have to make sure that we do everything to protect that region it is a vital part of nato territory and that's exactly why where in the past nato was not so much involved when it came to the arctic that since 2025

on the request by the seven high north allies who are bordering on the Arctic, that NATO has become more involved.

This has led to a few, as I said, very successful discussions within the NATO alliance with our ambassadors in Brussels and our ministers.

We discussed this importance and currently we are working on the next steps to make sure that indeed we collectively protect what is at stake here.

We welcome the ongoing efforts led by the United States to make this a reality.

And I'm confident that these sustained efforts will eventually restore peace in Europe.

Well, this type of messaging is taking place all the time, of course, informal, so not for me to comment, of course.

But, hey, let's face it.

We have trained and prepared for these situations, and our fighter jet pilots know exactly what to do for 50 years now, from the Soviet days to now with Russia.

We have had these incursions before.

They will assess the danger.

And if the danger is such that they feel they really have to take down the plane, then they can.

But they can also decide that there is no imminent threat, and then they will escort them outside of the airspace.

But again, there is a bit of a risk that we're all getting now thinking, hey, we need new rules or whatever.

The rules are there.

We have our military people, our military commanders have all the rules at their hands, have all the authorities they need to deal with these situations.