Germany Building ‘Arctic Defense’ Against Russia

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius arrived in Reykjavik to sign a “letter of intent” with Iceland’s Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrín Gunnarsdóttir. The agreement on “security policy cooperation” and “maritime logistics” is necessary, said Pistorius, “against the backdrop of Russian threats.” Therefore, he claimed, “Germany must ‘strengthen’ its military presence with NATO partner Iceland.” Iceland forms a bridge across the North Atlantic to partners, the U.S. and Canada “and at the same time a gateway to the Arctic.”