Norway, Sweden, and Finland have agreed to establish a military transport corridor in the north.
A reliable defence in the north is central to our security, says Norway's Prime Minister during today's defence meeting in Bodø.
The goal of the corridor is to quickly be able to transport military personnel from Norwegian harbours onwards to Sweden and Finland. The measure is a response to NATO's need to be able to move forces across land borders.
We can cooperate to defend each other in a completely new way now that we are all in NATO, says Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Labour Party) at a press conference.
The announcement about the transport corridor came on day two of the Nordic top meeting in Norwegian Bodø.
Previously, we have thought north-south when we have planned the transport of military personnel and equipment. Now, we will also think west-east, says Gahr Støre.
The three countries' defence ministers will now draw up practical plans for the corridor. Together with civilian actors, they will identify potential bottlenecks and invest in infrastructure to ensure efficient future military transport in the area. Among other things, improvements to rail, air, and road traffic in the countries' northern regions are expected to be necessary.
During the meeting in Bodø, which began on Wednesday, the three heads of government have, among other things, taken a RIB boat ride and gone on board the Norwegian coastguard vessel KV Svalbard. The defence ministers of Norway, Sweden, and Finland have also attended the two-day defence meeting.
