Nordic Countries Pledge to Strengthen Military Alliance Against Russia

Ministers of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland have declared their intent to cooperate militarily against Russia, which they described as “the biggest challenge to European security.”

Their statement, published in the Norwegian daily Aftenposten, said the bloc “must be prepared to face possible crises or incidents.” The ministers said they were responding to changes in international tensions connected to Russia’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict and increased Russian military activity in the Baltic region.

The Guardian reports:

The countries have reported a rise in Russian military activity over the past year, including several airspace violations and incidents of war planes allegedly flying without their identifying transponders.

“We must be prepared to face possible crises or incidents,” the declaration said, adding that Russia’s leaders were prepared to use “military means in order to reach their political goals.

“The Russian military is acting provocatively along our borders, and there have been several border violations of countries around the Baltic Sea.”

Read more here.

— Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.