Nordic countries to establish cross-border military transport corridor

Finland, Norway and Sweden have decided to develop an allied corridor for transportation of military personnel and equipment.

“We agreed to establish a military transport corridor across North Norway, North Norway and North Finland,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said after the meetings with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Caliber.Az reports citing the foreign media.

“It will enable us to quickly transport personnel and equipment from Norwegian ports through Sweden and to Finland,” he added.

The three Nordic leaders met in the northern Norwegian town of Bodø on June 19-20 to discuss security and military cooperation.

“Norway, Sweden and Finland are now together in NATO which is good for Norwegian, Nordic and allied security. We can cooperate to defend each other in a completely different way,” he noted.

The new corridor will enable NATO to rapidly transport the forces across the Nordic region.

The cross-border logistical route has been tested this spring when numerous US troops, vehicles and equipment were shipped to the Norwegian town of Narvik and then transported to Sweden and ultimately to northern Finland.

Norwegian northern town of Narvik has a major seaport and railway to transport goods to Sweden, and is therefore an important hub for logistical cooperation.

Moreover, the three countries’ defence ministers confirmed a determination to continue facilitating allied operations in the northern parts of the region.

“We are now developing regional defence plans in this area, and take the measures required for the plans to be successfully implemented,” Norwegian Defence Minister Bjørn Arild Gram said.