Prime Minister and President visiting. Norway, Sweden and Finland on military cooperation – news Nordland

At a press conference on Thursday, it was announced that the three neighboring countries have agreed to establish a military transport corridor. The transport corridor will go through northern Norway, northern Sweden and northern Finland. The aim is that military personnel can be quickly moved from Norwegian ports through Sweden and Finland. – Today we agree to establish a military transport corridor through northern Norway, northern Sweden and northern Finland. It will help ensure that personnel and material can be quickly moved from Norwegian ports through Sweden and to Finland, says Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. With Finland and Sweden in NATO, Norway’s role as recipient of allied reinforcements becomes even more important. – Very much in the far north of the Nordic region is about north and south, both in Sweden, Finland and Norway. We now need to collaborate more east-west, says Støre. – Must think west-east Norway plays an important role in the defense of Sweden and Finland. And the Nordic countries will play a more important role in the defense of the Baltic Sea and the Baltic countries, believes Støre. – Before, we have thought north-south when we have planned the transport of military personnel and equipment. Now, to a greater extent, we also want to think west-east. The national infrastructure must meet NATO’s needs to be able to move forces across national borders, says the Prime Minister. For two days, he has the Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, and the Finnish President, Alexander Stubb, on a trip to Bodø. – We have been well received in Bodø, where it is always exciting to come. It has been a good day to spend together. – Absolutely. It has been nice to spend time together before the NATO summit in Washington. We will follow this up next year, with a similar meeting in Finland, says Finland’s President Alexander Stubb. The three Nordic heads of state were briefed by the Norwegian Armed Forces’ operational headquarters in Bodø on Thursday. Photo: Daniel Hong Hansen / news Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also appreciates that the three had time to meet in Bodø. – It has been a very good day. “Nord-Norden in Nato” is a pretty good description of what we have been working on. We are very happy that NATO and the EU are continuing their sanctions against Russia, where they are now sanctioning Russian liquefied gas and their fleet in the Baltic Sea. Rib trip On Thursday, both a rib trip to Saltstraumen and a secret briefing with no press present at the Norwegian Armed Forces’ operational headquarters facility at Reitan, just outside Bodø, were on the agenda. – I want to share with my two colleagues the importance of the sea for Norway. – Right here we are, is a good expression of Norway as a port nation. Here we are out by the big sea. At the same time, it is very short geographically to Sweden and into Finland. But our view is beyond the sea, says Støre. After the visit to Reitan, the heads of state meet the press. You can follow the press conference in the video window at the top of the case. OUT ON TRIP: Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Finnish President Alexander Stubb on a rib trip from Bodø harbor to Saltstraumen. Photo: Jan Langhaug / NTB Published 20.06.2024, at 14.36 Updated 20.06.2024, at 16.48



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