Nordic countries: a common vision for the development of defence cooperation

By Jacek Tarociński, Andrzej Wilk (Centre for Eastern Studies, OSW). Cooperation: Justyna Gotkowska

On 30 April, the defence ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden signed a document setting out their overall common vision for the development of Nordic defence cooperation up to 2030 under NORDEFCO.

 

Their collaboration within this format of Nordic military cooperation is supposed to be more closely synchronised with NATO’s regional defence planning.

The Nordic countries want to achieve this by intensifying their strategic dialogue on situational awareness and escalation management, gaining the ability to command joint and combined operations, cooperating in the areas of hosting allied troops and providing logistical support to these forces, and improving military mobility.

In addition, in order to enhance interoperability and secure supply chains, the Nordic countries want to deepen their cooperation on acquiring weapons and defence materials by making joint purchases and strengthening the Nordic industrial base.

The declaration stresses that this development will take place in accordance with NATO procedures, the NORDEFCO countries’ operational needs and the EU’s tools & initiatives.

NORDEFCO was established in 2009. Nordic military cooperation was conceived as a partial solution to the problem of the participating countries’ insufficient defence spending, and as a means of increasing efficiency and generating savings in the process of developing the capabilities of their armed forces.

At the same time, it was also a cooperation format for the regional countries that shared similar perceptions of security challenges; at that time only Norway, Denmark and Iceland were members of NATO, while Sweden and Finland were still outside the Alliance.

 

Source: Centre for Eastern Studies, OSW.

 

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