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Finland and Norway sign a Memorandum of Understanding

News story | Date: 20/06/2024 | Ministry of Defence

Norway’s Minister of Defence Bjørn Arild Gram and Finland’s Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen signed a Memorandum of Understanding on defence cooperation between the two countries in Bodø, Norway, on 20 June 2024.

Bildet viser Forsvarsminister Antti Kaikkonen, Finlands President Alexander Stubb, statsminister Jonas Gahr Støre og forsvarsminister Bjørn Arild Gram som underskriver en samarbeidsavtale. — F.V Finlands Forsvarsminister Antti Häkkänen, Finlands President Alexander Stubb, statsminister Jonas Gahr Støre og forsvarsminister Bjørn Arild Gram under signeringen av Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) mellom Finland og Norge. Credit: Torbjørn Kjosvold / Forsvaret

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The Memorandum of Understanding replaces the framework agreement concluded between the countries’ defence ministries in 2021. The Memorandum of Understanding provides a framework for defence cooperation between Finland and Norway.

Updating the cooperation documents between Finland and Norway into a Memorandum of Understanding between two allies will promote deeper bilateral cooperation and Nordic defence cooperation and strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defence.

‘The objective of defence cooperation between Finland and Norway is to strengthen both countries’ defence and regional security. We also want to strengthen operational cooperation, interoperability and joint dialogue on security interests and challenges’, said Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen.

‘Finland is an important ally for Norway. We already have extensive defense cooperation, but want to deepen it even more, now that Finland is a member of NATO. We have common values and interests, and a common border in the north. We want to strengthen the defense of our countries, and we do that best together’, said Minister of Defence Bjørn Arild Gram.