OSLO — The Nordic countries of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland will work towards a common defence agreement aimed at strengthening NATO’s ability to deter and defend, Norway’s Defence Minister Tore Sandvik said on Thursday.
All five nations are NATO members following Finland’s accession in 2023 and Sweden’s in 2024. They have since expanded cooperation through joint military and civilian preparedness exercises.
“We have already come a long way within the framework of NATO. We exercise and train together more than ever before,” Sandvik said in a statement. “Now we want to take the cooperation one step further and integrate the Nordic armed forces even more closely.”
Military leaders from the region highlighted the need to harmonise laws and regulations, particularly for moving troops and equipment across national borders. Sandvik said removing practical obstacles would allow forces to operate more smoothly across the Nordic region.
The initiative reflects growing concern over security in northern Europe following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and uncertainty over the United States’ role as NATO’s principal security guarantor.
The Nordic countries have sharply increased defence spending and now rank among NATO’s highest defence spenders per capita. Norway and Finland both share a land border with Russia.
All five countries strongly support Ukraine in its war with Russia. The region has also experienced a series of security incidents, including drone intrusions and damage to cables and pipelines, which have heightened concerns.
Russia has repeatedly denied posing a threat to its Nordic neighbours and describes such accusations as scaremongering.