Iceland Has No Defense of Its Own, Still Wants to Contribute More to NATO
Iceland's Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir and NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte. (Photo: NATO)
Iceland is developing a new security and defense policy and will increase its defense-related spending, says the country's Prime Minister, Kristrún Frostadóttir. She recently met with NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels, who commended the Icelandic contribution to the alliance despite not having its own armed forces.
NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed Iceland's Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir to the alliance headquarters in Brussels last week.
"This is a very important meeting for us going into the NATO summit in the Hague, and regarding strengthening Iceland's relationship with NATO. We are a country without armed forces, but that does not mean that we do not have a role to play in NATO," said Frostadóttir and continues:
"We are now developing a new security and defense policy in which we focus on our specific strategic position in NATO, and we are willing to spend more money on defense-related expenses. We wish to strengthen our facilities at Keflavìk Air Station, our ports, and general host country support."
Play on its strengths
US President Donald Trump has demanded that NATO countries increase their defense expenditures to five percent of their gross domestic product. Furthermore, Secretary General Rutte is to have proposed a division in which member countries spend 3.5 percent of their GDP on defense and 1.5 percent on defense-related expenses.
It is this 1,5 percent target that Iceland is now aiming at, confirms Frostadóttir to RÚV at the joint press conference with Rutte.
"There's not going to be a structural shift as to how we spend our money. It makes more sense for us to continue to strengthen what we're already good at, which is defense-related investments and providing facilities for other NATO countries," she said to the Icelandic broadcaster.
"I welcome the Icelandic government’s timely decision to develop a new security and defense policy. This will further reinforce our resilience and readiness," said Secretary General Mark Rutte. (Photo: NATO)
Commends Iceland
"Iceland plays a unique and essential role in the High North, which is an area of increasing strategic importance. Your geostrategic location, situational awareness, and operational expertise are vital to our collective understanding of the changing security landscape in the region," maintained Rutte.
The Secretary General commends Iceland for its various contributions to the Alliance's deterrence and defense, particularly in the North.
"You operate vital air defense and surveillance systems as part of NATO’s integrated Air and Missile Defense. You provide host nation support and critical infrastructure for NATO forces, including for our regular air policing missions [Iceland Air Policing, ed. note]. And you regularly host major exercises, such as Dynamic Mongoose – NATO’s premier anti-submarine warfare exercise."
Good dialogue on Arctic security
Rutte also highlights that Iceland has significantly increased its defense-related spending since 2016, as well as doubled its personnel in NATO structures.
"We are very happy you see our contributions, Mark. At the same time, we must do more," responded Frostadóttir.
The Icelandic PM also thanked the Secretary General for good and constructive conversations on Arctic security.
When Rutte visited Northern Norway on 22 May, it was announced that the seven Arctic NATO countries have recently agreed on a joint approach to the High North and the Arctic and how the Alliance will work toward strengthening security in the region.
At the press conference with Frostadóttir, Rutte referred to this and said that NATO is to become more involved in organizing intelligence gathering in the North, among other things.
