Iceland and France strengthen bilateral defence cooperation

The Icelandic and French authorities have agreed to further strengthen their bilateral defence cooperation. A Letter of Intent to this effect was signed at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland earlier this week.

The signing took place at the end of regular bilateral consultations between the two countries, where security challenges in the North Atlantic and the Arctic, and increased bilateral defence cooperation were discussed. Topics also included cooperation within NATO and the upcoming Summit in the Hague later this month, as well as continued support for Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s illegal war of aggression.

The French delegation was also given a tour of Keflavík Air Base, where they saw first hand Iceland's contributions to NATO collective defence. The consultations also addressed the Icelandic government’s growing emphasis on security and defence, and the ongoing work to develop Iceland’s first national defence and security policy.

The Director General of the Defence Directorate at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland and the Director for European, North American, and Multilateral Affairs at the French Ministry for the Armed Forces signed the Letter of Intent to enhance bilateral defence cooperation on behalf of their respective nations.