Norway and Denmark eye increased defense cooperation
PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — Operators from the Royal Danish Army’s Jaeger Corps, prepare to enter and clear a building during NATO’s exercise Night Hawk 21, October. 5, 2021. (NATO photo via Flickr)
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Norway and Denmark plan to increase their cooperation on defence, the two Nordic NATO members said on Tuesday in a joint statement.
They said the move would be within the framework of Nordic cooperation and the NATO framework, and their aim is to present concrete proposals in May.
"Amongst the areas to be covered would be investigating opportunities for stronger industrial ties to support our own defence sectors and our continued commitment to Ukraine," they said.
"We will look at how to strengthen cooperation between our armed forces in all domains, and how we can develop our strategic cooperation in the High North and North Atlantic," they added.
European leaders have been weighing their options for increased defence spending since U.S. President Donald Trump began demanding bigger defence outlays by NATO members.
Furthermore, since Trump seemingly abandoned the U.S.'s more Ukraine-friendly approach to Russia's war, leaders in Britain and across Europe have stepped up diplomatic efforts to show a united front to support Kyiv.
(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Hugh Lawson)
