The three Nordic countries have sealed a new military agreement. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store announced on Thursday June 20 the creation of a military corridor crossing northern Norway, Sweden and Finland in the Arctic. This agreement constitutes “an important step” for these three countries now members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), said Mr. Store.
Finland and Sweden renounced decades of military non-alignment following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Helsinki joined the Atlantic Alliance in April 2023. Then the Swedes did the same the next month. Following a meeting with his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, and the Finnish President, Alexander Stubb, the head of the Norwegian government explained the interest of this new agreement: “This will allow personnel and equipment to be quickly transported from Norwegian ports to Finland via Sweden. »
A strategic region
In March, NATO organized in the region the « Nordic Response Exercice ». This military program, integrated into Operation Steadfast, was the Alliance’s most important exercise since the end of the Cold War (1989). For its part, Vladimir Putin’s Russia has strengthened its military capabilities in the Arctic, which is home to its powerful Northern Fleet.
The Norwegian government announced in its press release that the defense ministers would lead the work to organize this transport corridor. “Together, they will identify bottlenecks, update necessary regulations and legislation, and invest in the infrastructure required to ensure rapid and effective military mobility”said the press release.
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The Arctic has become a strategic region in recent years. The melting of ice, due to global warming, has opened navigation routes and offered prospects for exploiting deposits of wealth, such as oil, gas and minerals.
