Portugal’s importance to NATO “will grow as Arctic ice melts”

Portugal is set to play an increasingly important role within NATO as melting Arctic ice reshapes global shipping routes and defence priorities, according to the country’s permanent representative to the alliance.

In an interview with Lusa ahead of next month’s NATO summit in Ankara, Paulo Vizeu Pinheiro argued that the North Atlantic is gaining renewed strategic significance and that Portugal’s geographical position will become increasingly valuable to the alliance.

“As the Arctic melts, new routes, new threats and new opportunities emerge,” he said.

The diplomat noted that future Arctic maritime routes are expected to become increasingly important for global trade, but also for military and security planning.

“Everything that comes from the north, from the Arctic, becomes a very important entry point into the Atlantic,” he said.

For that reason, Vizeu Pinheiro argued that Portugal’s armed forces will have a growing role to play in NATO operations and collective defence.

“The role of the Portuguese Navy, Air Force and Army will become extremely important in NATO’s future. It will grow, not diminish,” he said.

According to the diplomat, Portugal’s strategic relevance extends beyond its mainland territory and includes its vast maritime jurisdiction and airspace responsibilities across the Atlantic.

“NATO is still the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. The North Atlantic remains absolutely indispensable for the alliance’s security and defence,” he said, adding that Portugal is effectively a neighbour of the United States in terms of maritime and flight information regions.

His comments come as NATO prepares for a summit expected to focus heavily on defence spending and burden-sharing among allies.

One of the key discussions in Ankara will centre on the commitment made at last year’s summit in The Hague for allies to increase defence spending to 5% of gross domestic product by 2035.

Vizeu Pinheiro said Portugal was making significant progress towards its agreed targets.

“We were at 1.58% and are now at the 2% level. Perhaps we are among the allies that have made the biggest leap in terms of financial, budgetary and defence effort,” he said.

The ambassador also echoed calls for European countries and Canada to assume greater responsibility for their own defence.

“The Americans have been paying for Europe’s collective defence for 77 years,” he said. “It is absolutely necessary, and I would say fair, that Europeans make their contribution to the defence of the Euro-Atlantic area.”

However, he rejected suggestions that a stronger European pillar within NATO would reduce the importance of the Atlantic or Portugal’s role within the alliance.

Instead, he argued that geopolitical developments, climate change and evolving security threats are making the Atlantic region more important than ever.

“The Atlantic is gaining a new strategic importance and centrality,” he said.

Source: LUSA