Rubio calls Iceland a 'critical outpost' for security amid Arctic push

His visit comes in the wake of a security pact signed in late September between the U.S. and Denmark and Greenland, which will permit Washington to establish two new military bases in Greenland, further integrating the autonomous territory into the U.S. sphere of influence. Rubio's comments highlight Iceland's regained status as a strategic player amid rising competition in the Arctic, despite its continued reliance on the U.S. for security.

Rubio met with Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir and top diplomat Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir to discuss topics including geothermal energy, data centers, and the pharmaceutical industry. The U.S. does not currently have a permanent base in Iceland but is seeking to consolidate its control over Arctic access routes, which are of interest to Russia and China.

The visit also follows a controversy in early September when then-President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated map depicting North America, Greenland, and Iceland as part of the United States, an image that Reykjavik deemed "wholly inappropriate." Gunnarsdottir stated on Tuesday that this issue has been resolved and welcomed the U.S. deal with Greenland, affirming Iceland's commitment to strengthening ties with Washington. Icelanders voted in August against resuming negotiations to join the European Union, having frozen such talks in 2013. Since its independence in 1944, Iceland has not maintained its own military, relying on NATO and a 1951 defense pact with the U.S. for its security.

Following his Iceland visit, Rubio was scheduled to travel to Athens for a "strategic dialogue" with Greece on regional and energy security, and then to Lisbon.