Norden vil styrke sit militære samarbejde

Med krig i Europa og udsigt til, at alle lande bliver medlemmer af NATO, er det nordiske samarbejde mere aktuelt end nogensinde. Derfor vil de nordiske forsvarsministre styrke forsvarssamarbejdet i Norden.

”Vi arbejder i den nordiske kreds på en ny, politisk vision for det fremtidige samarbejde og et nyt forsvarskoncept, som styrker det operative samarbejde i vores region,” siger fungerende forsvarsminister, Troels Lund Poulsen.

En række af de nordiske forsvarsministre mødes i disse dage i Reykjavik i Island. Her taler de blandt andet om, hvordan de skal organisere det nordiske forsvarssamarbejde i Nordisk Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO), og hvordan det kan understøtte NATO, når alle de nordiske lande er samlet der.

”Det er vigtigt, at vi kan operere med hinanden i hele det nordiske område. Vi bør styrke overvågningen af regionen og se på, hvordan vores militære systemer og enheder kan operere bedre sammen. På den måde vil de nordiske lande kunne tage ansvar i et stort område. Det vil også gavne NATO og sikkerheden i Nordeuropa,” siger Troels Lund Poulsen.

De nordiske lande har udsendt en fælles erklæring fra ministermødet:

Common statement; NORDEFCO Ministerial in Iceland 20-21 June 2023

Today, the Nordic ministers of Defence and representatives met in Reykjavik to discuss the unstable security situation and the consequences of Russia’s full-scale and brutal attack on Ukraine. The Ministers also discussed the future of Nordic defence cooperation and NATO-related issues.

Over sixteen months have passed since Russia’s full-scale attack on Ukraine, and our support to Ukraine is stronger than ever. Since February 2022, the Nordic countries have supported Ukraine with military equipment, training, humanitarian, and financial support – and will continue to do so for as long as it takes. Ukraine is fighting not only for their own country but for the principles we stand for, international law and the rules-based order.

In light of the deteriorated security situation in our neighbourhood, Nordic defence cooperation is ever more important. When all the Nordic countries are members of NATO, Nordic defence cooperation can be fully harnessed for the good of the Alliance. It is therefore imperative that Sweden joins the Alliance as soon as possible.

During 2023, the Nordic countries are working on updating the Vision that guides our cooperation, to reflect the new strategic reality with war in Europe and all Nordic countries becoming members of NATO.

Vision 2030 lays out an ambitious plan for the cooperation in the years to come, and will guide our work to strengthen the deterrence and defence of the Nordic region and the Euro-Atlantic Area.

In line with the upcoming Vision, a Nordic Defence Concept is being drafted on the military level, to guide the closer military cooperation. NORDEFCO complements and contributes to European and transatlantic security, and collective defence.