Name: US Senator Lisa Murkowski: 'It's all about how we approach the Arctic'
Uploaded: 2026-02-15T17:05:08.000Z
Duration: 6 min 42 s
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Senator Lisa Murkowski, you are the US Senator for Alaska.

You're a Republican, and you know all about security and defense in the Arctic firsthand.

What kind of feeling do you head back with from this Munich security conference, having listened to the speech of the US Secretary of State?

For me, it's all about how we build on the assets that we have, but

how we approach the Arctic, we with a realism and a pragmatism.

Because I think some who don't have experience in the Arctic think that you can just replicate a version of security that you have elsewhere on the globe.

That's where alliances with our seven Arctic allies is so important, where we're sharing best practices, where we're sharing capabilities, where we're sharing training, where we're sharing Arctic know how.

So I am leaving this Munich security conference knowing that now more than ever, it is important to solidify those relationships.

There's been some tension, and that is probably putting it mildly.

But we must not lose sight of the true threat here, which is the threat from Russia, a threat from China, maybe down the road in the Arctic, but

just a vulnerability there we must be aware.

And so right now, there have been tensions within the United States relationship with the Kingdom of Denmark and more specifically, Greenland.

That has not helped our opportunities for greater alliance building and the capacity that we need to ensure the security in the Arctic.

People I spoke with here, certainly that meant losing a lot of trust in the United States as a defense ally.

At the same time, on Valentine's Day, the day we record this, there was a Valentine's card coming out of the White House which depicts Greenland.

the administration, is moving beyond this issue now and becoming more constructive?

And the reason I say that is because I have had a good handful of very constructive conversations about how this dialogue is going.

The framework that was set out between President Trump and Mark Rude in terms of these trilateral talks and visiting with the prime minister of Greenland when I was there just this weekend with a U.S.

delegation, to ask him specifically, do you feel that Greenland's voice is being heard in these discussions?

This is a path that can allow us to work through these security issues?

I've heard it over these past couple days that we need to give these talks the time.

I don't think there's any great secret in terms of what the outcome may entail.

There's a framework out There, that was established in 1951.

Let's update, refresh, modernize, whatever the word is, but

using that as your template from a security perspective, recognizing and respecting the views of the people of Greenland, their own autonomy, self determination, let's make sure that we don't lose that in any kind of a negotiated process, but

also recognize again, who the common, where the common threat is coming from, and

So I do have confidence that the rhetoric will be dialed down, and

I have confidence in that because it must.

And as I have talked to so many ministers here at the Security Conference, what they have shared is this is not helpful to how we help Ukraine win in this awful war that Putin has created.

The way that we win is we are together as allies.

We need to be together as allies in the Arctic security posture.

So let's figure out how we come together based on our shared values.

Now, you were also part of that bipartisan group that traveled to Denmark.

Do you consider the message that came here from Europe, from the German chancellor, which basically drew a line in the sand, that the whole MAGA movement is not for Europe, that Europe wants to become more independent and stronger?

Do you perceive that to be something that is constructive for going ahead, or is that counterproductive from your point of view as a Republican as well?

Well, and I guess I'm looking at things right now through the lens of Arctic security.

And we will have, we will have our capitals maybe flaring things up back and forth, and

the politics will be what the politics will be.

But I would hope that from a military to military perspective, from a secure, a broader security alliance, we keep our eyes on the main goal here, which is how do we help end this war with Ukraine to get a just and a fair peace for the people of Ukraine?

How do we, how do we push back against Putin and his ambitions in a way that demonstrates solidarity, that demonstrates strength and capability?

So the political talk is going to be the political talk.

Sometimes it distracts us, as we have seen just here today.

But we need to keep our focus on the real priority.

Lisa Mikowski, center for Alaska, a Republican.