NORDEFCO

The security policy landscape has changed significantly in recent years especially as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  Sweden's and Finland's accesion to NATO has created new opportunities for Nordic defence cooperation, and there is a shared understanding among the Nordic countries on the need for continuously strengthening our coorperation to adress the common challenges we face. Against this backdrop, Nordic defence cooperation is more relevant and stronger than ever, and it plays an increasingly important role in Danish security- and defence policy.

An active partnership 

NORDEFCO was established in 2009 with the aim of bringing together cooperation fora.  

In the recent years, there has been a significant shift in the Nordic Defence cooperation, as the entire Nordic region is now a part of NATO, since Sweden's memberhsip was ratified in 2024. This gives new opportunities that the Nordic countries are building on. New agreements have been made and existing agreements are being delivered on, illustrated by concrete results ranging from capability development and joint acquisitions to cooperation on training and exercises. Altogehter, it increases the combat power of the Nordic countries and strengthens NATO's collective deterrence and defence. 

Denmark's chairship of NORDEFCO in 2024

The chairship of NORDEFCO rotates between the four Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden (Iceland participates but does not hold the presidency). Denmark chaired NORDEFCO in 2024.

Denmark's chair priorities were to strengthen the Nordic Defence Cooperation,  ensure a continued support for Ukraine, close cooperation with the Baltic states, increased focus on the Arctic and North Atlantic as well as revisiting the NORDEFCO structures.

During the Danish chairship the Nordic defence ministers, among other things, signed a new Vision 2030 for NORDEFCO. The vision marked in the beginning of a new era in Nordic defence cooperation against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and Finland's and Sweden's accension to NATO. The Vision underscores the close cooperation between NORDEFCO and NATO, highlighting NORDEFCO's contribution to regional security and the strengthening of the operational cooperation in the Nordic region. 

With all of the Nordic countries in NATO, it is the ambition to adapt NORDEFCO to the new security environment, so that the defence forces of the Nordic countries will able to conduct combined joint training and operations in the Nordic region, strengthening NATO's collective deterrence and defence. 

In 2026, Norway took over from Finland as chair of NORDEFCO.