Iceland to discuss security, defense partnership with EU

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — German, Dutch and Norwegian Soldiers practice on-off drills aboard a German NH90 helicopter during NATO’s exercise Noble Jump 23 in Sardinia, Italy on May 8, 2023. (NATO photo by Corporal (OR-4) Martin Glinker, DEU-A via U.S. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service - DVIDS)

COPENHAGEN  -  Iceland will launch talks on a security and defence partnership with the European Union, Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir said on Thursday at a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Keflavik. 

Frostadottir said she was hoping to conclude talks by the end of the year.

"This is very important for us to show that we can have cooperation on critical infrastructure, civil protection, any sort of dual use defence investment and this also includes hybrid and cyber threats," she said.

 (Reporting by Louise Breusch Rasmussen, editing by Alexandra Hudson // REUTERS)