The defence ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden agreed in Oslo on 12 November to begin drafting a possible Nordic defence cooperation agreement. It would pave the way for closer and more integrated cooperation between the five countries.
A key topic was the need for a legal and political framework for cooperation in peace, crisis and war, the Norwegian defence ministry said.
— The ambition is to develop a defence agreement that allows Nordic military forces to operate together even more effectively and seamlessly across national borders, said Norwegian Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik, who hosted the meeting.
Sandvik said the chiefs of defence report good operational cooperation. He sees potential to remove practical obstacles and adapt laws and regulations. The Nordic countries together have around 250 modern combat aircraft, nearly 145 surface vessels and some 100,000 peacetime military personnel, according to Sandvik.
The Danish Ministry of Defence said the agreement would support and complement cooperation within NATO.
— With a defence cooperation agreement, we could take our Nordic cooperation to a new level, said Danish Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus.
Sweden takes over the NORDEFCO chairmanship from Norway on 1 January 2027.
