The five Nordic governments are pursuing a common defense agreement, which ministers said would bolster NATO’s ability to deter and defend, as military leaders cite cross-border rules as a barrier to closer coordination.
Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland announced the initiative in Oslo on Thursday. The ministers said the pact is intended to strengthen NATO’s wider ability to deter and defend. Norway’s Defense Minister Tore Sandvik said it would bring the Nordic governments into closer cooperation and reinforce defense in the region and beyond.
All five countries are now NATO members. Finland joined in 2023, followed by Sweden in 2024. Reuters reported that Nordic cooperation has expanded since Finland and Sweden joined NATO, including through joint training and civilian readiness work.
Military leaders identified differences in national laws and regulations as a challenge to closer cooperation, particularly when troops and equipment need to cross borders. Sandvik said the agreement would help allied forces coordinate deployments and logistics across Nordic borders. Danish Defense Minister Jeppe Bruus told Reuters that Finland and Sweden joining NATO has given Nordic forces further options for deployment, training and command coordination.
Reuters linked the region’s defense preparations to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and uncertainty about the United States’ future role as NATO’s security backstop. All five Nordic countries have sharply increased defense spending and rank among NATO’s top spenders per capita, Reuters reported. Norway and Finland share land borders with Russia. The report also cited drone incursions and sabotage involving cables and pipelines as factors raising security concerns. The Nordic countries strongly support Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Russia rejects claims that it threatens Nordic countries, Reuters reported.
