The goal of the new agreement, dubbed a “milestone in Nordic defence co-operation” is to increase rapport between the Nordic countries in an era of superpower struggle.
Finnish Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen, Norwegian Defence Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen and Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hulquist have gathered in Porsangmoen in Finnmark County, in Northern Norway, home to the Porsanger garrison, to sign a new military cooperation agreement.
The goal of the agreement is to boost defence cooperation in the High North, not least through joint defence exercises.
Norwegian Defence Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen also emphasised plans to create a joint committee to discuss the security situation and defence policy issues in the north.
“We have come to a common recognition that the next possible crisis will affect not only one country, but all the Nordic countries. Therefore it is important that we are able to cooperate on many levels”, he told national broadcaster NRK, calling the agreement is a “milestone in Nordic defence co-operation”.
The countries are already linked through the Nordic defence co-operation NORDEFCO, which also includes Denmark and Iceland. The aim of the new agreement is to enable better coordination of current and future military operations plans.
“Making it clear that we cooperate with our neighbours is an important part of both the deterrence and our defence strategy. Especially at a time of an ongoing great power rivalry, when it is…
