Nordic Countries to Draft Common Defence Agreement to Strengthen NATO Cooperation

According to Xinhua, the decision was announced on Thursday in a joint statement following a two-day ministerial meeting of the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) in Oslo, Norway.

The proposed Nordic Defence Cooperation Agreement is expected to establish a legal framework for closer military cooperation among the five countries. The initiative will be developed in line with NATO’s broader defence efforts.

Norwegian Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik said the countries would explore ways to remove practical obstacles and adjust national laws and regulations to enable their armed forces to operate more efficiently across borders.

The defence ministers also met with Nordic officials responsible for emergency preparedness and civil defence. Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between civilian authorities and military institutions.

Established in 2009, NORDEFCO has gradually expanded military cooperation among the five Nordic countries in areas including joint operations, defence planning and military procurement.

All five countries are now members of NATO. Finland joined the alliance in 2023, followed by Sweden in 2024.

The proposed agreement is expected to provide a formal basis for further strengthening military coordination and defence cooperation across the Nordic region.