LONDON, November 12. /TASS/. The Nordic countries - Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland - will begin drafting a joint defense agreement aimed at strengthening NATO’s capabilities, Norwegian Defense Minister Tore Sandvik said.
The nations are all now NATO members since Finland and Sweden joined the military alliance in 2023 and 2024, and have worked since then to improve their cooperation, for instance by conducting joint military and civilian preparedness exercises. "This agreement will enable closer cooperation between us and enhance deterrence and defense in our region and beyond," Reuters quoted the Norwegian defense minister as saying.
Sandvik specified that harmonizing laws and regulations, for example, regarding the movement of personnel and military equipment across borders, is one of the key tasks on this path. "NATO forces have to be able to easily move between countries, supplies have to get to where they are needed, and the forces have to fight as one," said Sandvik.