It's definitely not a good thing for the Newland Army to gain a foothold in the Aleutian Islands.
Militarily speaking, losing a perpetually icebound isolated island isn't a big deal. Once the Empire Navy gains strategic control, a single reprisal can recapture it, or even without a reprisal, a prolonged blockade can force the enemy on the island to surrender. However, from a political perspective, it's an unacceptable failure that will inevitably impact the Navy's reputation, possibly forcing the Imperial Authority to adjust its military strategy.
To put it severely, someone might lose their official position because of this.
The key is, in the 70 years since the end of the first Global War, the Empire hasn't lost any territory!
