Arctic summit brings police convoys and traffic closures to Rovaniemi

Dozens of police patrols and Border Guard personnel filled central Rovaniemi as an Arctic summit brought motorcades, vehicle checks and severe traffic disruptions, Yle reported.

Traffic in the city centre was heavily congested at times on Monday morning as police convoys transported visiting leaders to the Lapland Air Command. The summit was visible in the city from Sunday evening, with police cars, convoys, checkpoints and lines of black vehicles.

Rovaniemi resident Anneli Matero said she had never seen such a police presence in the city. She encountered dozens of officers during a morning walk with her dog near Arktikum, the Arctic Centre and one of the summit’s main venues.

“It is good that they are on alert. Anything can happen; even here in Lapland, we can no longer live as if we were in a safe haven,” Matero said.

Traffic was also disrupted on Highway 4 on Sunday and Monday. Convoys transported visiting dignitaries from the airport to hotels in central Rovaniemi on Sunday evening after several national leaders arrived on private aircraft.

Most traffic lights in the city centre were switched off on Monday morning because the system was too outdated to be controlled remotely, police told Yle. Police officers and military police stopped traffic at intersections to allow the convoys to pass.

A working dinner was held on Sunday evening, attended by President Alexander Stubb. Police and Border Guard personnel were also deployed at Ounasvaara to direct and stop traffic for the visiting dignitaries.

On Monday morning, the leaders’ presence in the city centre and outside hotels was reflected in dozens of police patrols and vehicle checks. Side roads were temporarily closed whenever a convoy travelled along Highway 4, causing further congestion.

Traffic from the direction of Sodankylä was also halted as the convoys travelled to the Lapland Air Command, where the leaders’ visit marked the start of the summit’s main programme.

The participants include German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and Romanian President Nicusor Dan.

European Council President António Costa and the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, are also attending.