Re-imagining Cross-Border Relations in the High North: The Case of Kirkenes - European Foreign Affairs Review View Re-imagining Cross-Border Relations in the High North: The Case of Kirkenes by - European Foreign Affairs Review Re-imagining Cross-Border Relations in the High North: The Case of Kirkenes 29 SI Kirkenes is a Norwegian small town located in the High North, bordering Russia. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the people of Kirkenes have invested heavily in building relations and establishing close ties with their Russian neighbours. Following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the local community must adjust to a new reality. This article explores how conflicting narratives on Kirkenes as a border town inform local discourses on the town’s relationship with Russia, with reference to (1) the issue of Cyrillic Street signs in Kirkenes, (2) twin-city agreements with Russian towns, and (3) Russian access to the port of Kirkenes. Along with a focus on borderland narratives, the article leans on Makarychev & Kuznetsova’s distinction between structural, practical and popular geopolitics to show how cross-border relations at a local level are increasingly shaped by national and international political pressures, strengthening local frustrations and feelings of disconnect with national authorities. Furthermore, the article highlights the importance of history, local conceptions of history, and the weaponization of history in shaping cross-border relations in the Norwegian–Russian borderland. European Foreign Affairs Review