Norway, Sweden, and Finland have agreed to establish a dedicated military transport corridor in the north.
This initiative aims to facilitate the swift movement of military personnel from Norwegian ports to Sweden and Finland. It directly addresses NATO's need for efficient troop transportation across land borders within the alliance.
– Now that we're all NATO members, we can collaborate on mutual defense in a fundamentally different way, stated Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) at a press conference.
The announcement regarding the transport corridor came during the second day of the North Nordic summit in Bodø, Norway.
– Historically, military personnel and equipment transportation planning has focused on a north-south axis, explained Gahr Støre.
– This collaboration will place a stronger emphasis on a west-east flow as well.
The three nations' defense ministers will now chart out practical plans for the corridor. In collaboration with civilian stakeholders, they will identify potential bottlenecks and invest in infrastructure upgrades to ensure efficient future military movement in the region.
These upgrades are anticipated to include improvements to train, air, and road infrastructure in the northern regions of all three countries.
Beyond the defense meeting, which commenced on Wednesday in Bodø, the three heads of government embarked on the Norwegian coast guard vessel KV Svalbard. The respective defense ministers from Norway, Sweden, and Finland were also present for the two-day defense meeting.
This news came just a few days after Sweden's parliament, the Riksdag, held a heated debate on the proposed Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with the United States. The debate concluded with a vote in favor of the agreement.
Critics, including diplomat Rolf Ekéus, have expressed strong concerns about the DCA potentially allowing the U.S. to deploy nuclear weapons on Swedish soil. Ekéus stated:
– This agreement creates a direct threat to the security of all Swedes.