Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, announced at a press conference on July 17 that negotiations will begin on a bilateral agreement between Iceland and the European Union concerning defence and security matters, reports RÚV.
The announcement followed a meeting with Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir and Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir. The proposed agreement would centre on enhanced cooperation between Iceland and the EU in the areas of defence and security.
The agreement would be independent of Iceland’s NATO membership and its existing defence arrangements with the United States. It would therefore constitute a third pillar underpinning Iceland’s overall security strategy.
Talks could commence within the coming weeks or months.
The agreement would also bring Iceland into closer alignment with Europe’s broader defence and security framework, which already includes eight allied nations — among them Norway, the United Kingdom, and Canada. “With this agreement, you would gain access to our SAFE initiative, which invests around €150 billion annually in security and defence,” Ursula von der Leyen stated.
According to RÚV, a deal could be reached before the end of the year.
At the same meeting, Prime Minister Kristrún announced that a comprehensive review of Iceland’s trade relations with the European Union, originally proposed in December 2023, will soon be launched.
Buy subscriptions, t-shirts and more from our shop right here!
