Timeline

Timeline of Key Events in Nordic-Baltic Security Cooperation

• 1948: Attempt to form a Nordic defence union falters.
• 1949: Norway, Denmark, and Iceland become founding members of NATO. Sweden and Finland pursue policies of neutrality.
• Early 1990s: The Baltic states regain independence, opening a new chapter in regional cooperation.
• December 1990: The first Nordic-Baltic Foreign Ministers' meeting is held in Copenhagen, establishing the "5+3" format (five Nordic countries plus three Baltic states).
• 2000: The "5+3" collaboration is formalised as the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8), an informal regional cooperation format encompassing Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden.
• 2004: EU and NATO enlargements see the Baltic states join both organisations, deepening NB8 cooperation considerably. NATO begins Baltic Air Policing missions.
• 2008: Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) is established to enhance defence collaboration among Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
• 2010: At the initiative of the Baltic states, the Nordic and Baltic foreign ministers establish a "wise-men" group to explore ways to strengthen Nordic-Baltic cooperation.
• 2011: The Birkavs-Gade report, resulting from the "wise-men" group, is approved, providing practical guidelines for regional development across multiple domains.
• 2014: The Russian annexation of Crimea marks a turning point, intensifying security cooperation in the region. NORDEFCO receives a boost.
• 2020: All NORDEFCO Cooperation Areas have established some degree of collaboration with Baltic colleagues, and Baltic representatives are integrated into several Working Groups.
• November 2024: Sweden signs bilateral agreements on deepening defence cooperation with Lithuania and Poland. Nordic defence ministers sign a joint Letter of Intent on expanded cooperation to develop strategic corridors for military transport in the Nordic region.
• January 2025: The Heads of State and Government of the Nordic and Baltic countries appoint former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to prepare an independent report with policy recommendations aimed at advancing Nordic-Baltic security and defence cooperation. NATO launches the 'Baltic Sentry' initiative to strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea region.
• February 2025: Jens Stoltenberg is appointed as Norway's Finance Minister, creating uncertainty regarding the timely completion of the report. Nordic-Baltic leaders issue a joint statement pledging to further bolster their support for Ukraine.
• July 2024: The Nordic countries entered into an agreement to promote access to Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden's airspace for NATO's air operations.
• June 2025 (Expected): Stoltenberg report scheduled to be presented ahead of the NATO Summit in The Hague.
• End of 2025 (Expected): NATO's Joint Force Command Norfolk achieves full operational capacity, and Finland and Sweden are incorporated into defence plan North-West together with Denmark, Iceland, and Norway.

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