Norway, Denmark and Iceland provide security guarantees to Sweden

- This insurance is a clear signal from us.

We will do what we can to ensure a fast process, so that Norway can ratify Sweden and Finland as NATO members very quickly, says Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in a press release, reports NRK. 

A NATO application can take several months to approve, therefore Denmark, Norway and Iceland have jointly decided to provide a security guarantee to Sweden and Finland, until the countries are formally approved.  

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen says that this means that Denmark will do "everything we can to help the two countries" should they be attacked. 

“The security of Finland and Sweden affects us all.

If Finland's or Sweden's security in their territories is threatened before a full accession to the Alliance, we will assist them with all available means, ”reads the joint statement from Iceland, Norway and Denmark.  

“A historic day” 

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre calls this a historic day.

- We want to further strengthen our Nordic defense co-operation.

Our military forces work well together and have trained together for many years.

We very much appreciate the significant contributions that Finland and Sweden have already made as partner countries in NATO, says Støre.

- Sweden and Finland have the right to become members of NATO, without being exposed to outside pressure, he continues.