New Delhi, Sept. 16 -- The leaders, mostly from Nordic and Baltic countries, put a spotlight on environmental challenges, economic opportunities and military vulnerabilities at a time of doubts about whether the United States, through NATO, will remain a bulwark against Russia.

"This region has become a geopolitical hotspot," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told a joint news conference, insisting a new EU focus should complement NATO's work. "Russia is building up its military capabilities here, and Russia uses its presence for hybrid activities every day."

Merz said his presence - Germany is not an Arctic country - testified to the importance of the region to overall European security and suggested years of relative neglect should end...