Clear results six months into Sweden’s N5 and NB8 coordination

The N5 and NB8 formats are informal and structured around a number of meetings at political and civil servant level. These cooperation formats are led by foreign ministers, who meet − in person and digitally − several times a year. While Sweden’s three priorities form the basis of the ongoing efforts, the informal character of the cooperation formats also allows for discussions and cooperation on topical issues such as developments in Belarus and the Middle East.

“This Nordic and Nordic-Baltic cooperation is unique and more important than ever. The N5 and NB8 are excellent formats for discussing and coordinating current foreign and security policy issues and working together for support to Ukraine,” says Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström. 

As part of efforts to strengthen global support for Ukraine, Sweden coordinated Nordic-Baltic foreign ministers’ participation at the Raisina Dialogue in India in February. At the conference, the NB8 highlighted the need for worldwide support for Ukraine and the rules-based international order. This participation was the first time that the NB8 foreign ministers made a joint trip outside Europe. 

Support to Ukraine was also in focus at the annual foreign minister level NB8 meeting, where the ministers presented an expert group in support of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. This meeting took place in Visby and was the first time that the foreign ministers met in the NB8 format as Allies in NATO. 

Within the N5 format, the foreign ministers have met both virtually and in person during the year. During these meetings, the foreign ministers have discussed topics such as bilateral agreements on security commitments with Ukraine, which were signed in the spring. The three priority areas are also regular items on the agenda, as are topical issues such as the situation in the Middle East. 

In mid-June, Mr Billström hosted an in-person N5 meeting. Part of the programme was attended by HRH Crown Princess Victoria, who takes a steadfast interest in Nordic issues. Lieutenant General Michael R Fenzel, who heads the US-led USSC mission for enhanced security cooperation between Israel and Palestine, also took part in a session. The Nordic countries are now examining how best to jointly contribute to these efforts. 

After the meeting, a joint statement by the Nordic foreign ministers was published, calling on Israel to transfer Palestinian tax funds to Palestine and maintain the correspondent banking system between Israel and the West Bank, in line with the recent G7 statement. 

Sweden, as NB8 coordinator, together with Finland, which held the presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) over the past year, invited the Nordic-Baltic foreign ministers and their German and Polish counterparts to an informal dinner in Porvoo, Finland, to discuss enhanced security cooperation around the Baltic Sea. 

During the remaining six months of Swedish chairmanship, more meetings and joint trips are planned at different levels, including a foreign ministers’ N5 meeting in connection with the Nordic Council session in Reykjavik.