Nordic Defence Cooperation

Increased security in Northern Europe and enhanced support to Ukraine were on the agenda when Swedish Minister for Defence Pål Jonson participated in several meetings of defence ministers in Copenhagen. Ukraine’s Minister of Defence Rustem Umerov also took part in all the meetings.

Yesterday, 21 November 2024, the Nordic Ministers of Defence met in Copenhagen to discuss how to further strengthen Nordic defence cooperation (NORDEFCO) and take stock of the progress made under the Danish Chairmanship in 2024.

On 21 November 2024, the Nordic defence ministers signed a joint Letter of Intent (LOI) on expanded cooperation to develop strategic corridors for military transport in the Nordic region. 

On 20–21 November, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will take part in a meeting in Copenhagen with other defence ministers from the Nordic and Baltic countries.

The Nordic countries are entering into a cooperation to promote access to Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden’s airspace for NATO’s air operations. On 9 July, a declaration of cooperation was signed by the countries’ defence ministers in connection with the NATO Summit in Washington DC.

Sweden held the NORDEFCO chairmanship in 2023 and the annual report provides a summary of the year. The Nordic Defence Cooperation was further deepened in 2023. Among other things, a new vision for the cooperation was adopted, Vision 2030.

In connection with the NORDEFCO ministerial meeting on 29–30 April in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, the Nordic defence ministers signed Vision 2030, a steering document on Nordic defence cooperation going forward. 

On 29–30 April, Mr Jonson will travel to the Faroe Islands to take part in the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) meeting of defence ministers, held in Tórshavn.

On November 23, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson invites the media to a press conference, following the meeting with defence ministers from the Nordic and Baltic countries at Karlberg Palace.

Finland’s new Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen visited Sweden on Thursday 6 July to meet with Minister for Defence Pål Jonson. The ministers discussed matters such as Sweden’s upcoming accession to NATO and Sweden’s and Finland’s continued support to Ukraine.

On Thursday 6 July, Finland’s Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen will visit Sweden to meet with Minister for Defence Pål Jonson. This will be Mr Häkkänen’s first visit abroad as Minister of Defence.

“Nordic defence cooperation is more important than ever,” say the Nordic defence ministers in a joint statement from a meeting in Iceland on 20–21 June within the framework of the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO). 

On 1 January, Sweden assumed the chairmanship of the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO). As chair, Sweden is focusing on continued support to Ukraine and adapting cooperation to the new defence and security policy situation in Europe.

Opening speech by the Minister for Defence Pål Jonson at the conference on security and defence within the framework of Sweden's presidency of the EU on 30 January 2023, Uppsala. Check against delivery.

Speech by Minister for Defence Pål Jonson, delivered at the Folk och Försvar Annual National Conference in Sälen on 9 January 2023. Check against delivery.

The defence ministers from the countries within the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) met on 22 November 2022 in Oslo, Norway, and gave the following statement.

Finland, Norway and Sweden strengthen trilateral defence cooperation. Finland’s Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen, Norway's Minister of Defence Bjørn Arild Gram and Sweden’s Minister for Defence Pål Jonson signed the Statement of Intent (SoI) in Oslo, Norway, on 22 November 2022.

Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will travel to Oslo to take part in the NORDEFCO ministerial meeting.

The Swedish chairmanship of NORDEFCO will host a meeting with representatives from the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation in Stockholm on 14 May 2019.