Russian aggression strengthens Nordic defence ties
A new chapter in Nordic defence cooperation is unfolding, aimed at strengthening the ability of the Nordic countries to command and conduct combined joint operations. The cooperation will also focus on capability development, materiel and procurement, operational enablement and other areas of defence integration.
“The ambition is to develop a defence agreement that will enable Nordic military forces to operate together even more effectively and seamlessly across national borders. This will strengthen our collective defence capabilities and make the Nordic region, including Norway, safer,” said Norway’s Minister of Defence, Tore O. Sandvik.
Sandvik met his counterparts from Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland in Oslo on 11 and 12 November to discuss how cooperation within the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) framework could be further developed.
“The Nordic countries are sending a clear signal that we are taking greater responsibility for security in our region and helping to strengthen NATO’s overall defence capabilities,” Sandvik said.
The ministers made no secret of the fact that Russia’s actions are bringing the Nordic countries closer together.
“Russia’s continued war of aggression against Ukraine is the most pressing challenge to our security. We remain committed to supporting Ukraine with political, military, financial and humanitarian assistance,” a joint statement issued after the meeting said.
“Together, we have considerable military strength. The Nordic countries alone have around 250 modern combat aircraft, nearly 145 surface vessels and approximately 100,000 military personnel in peacetime,” Sandvik said.
He added: “We exercise and train together more than ever before. Now, we want to take this cooperation a step further and integrate our Nordic armed forces even more closely.”
Established in 2009, NORDEFCO was further strengthened in 2020 through a trilateral agreement between Norway, Finland and Sweden on joint operational planning in the North Calotte region. Following Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to NATO in 2023 and 2024 respectively, cross-border military training and exercises have received a substantial boost in the northern regions of the three countries.
The Nordic air forces have also made significant progress in their ability to operate together as a single force. The establishment of NATO’s Forward Land Forces in Finland marked another milestone in strengthening collective defence in the Nordic region.
Securing supply chains and increasing defence industrial capacity will also be key priorities. The Nordic countries have set a target of tripling ammunition production capacity across the region by 2030.
