Scandinavian-Baltic Initiative: Joint Support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Ukraine and Northern Allies

On the sidelines of the 31st meeting of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group (UDCG), Ukraine and nine Nordic and Baltic countries signed a memorandum on the creation of the Scandinavian-Baltic Initiative aimed at strengthening the defense capabilities of our state. This was announced by the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal.

Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland and Sweden joined the initiative. The memorandum provides for the formation of a joint structure to support the Ukrainian military, covering training, equipping and conducting exercises within the framework of the international operation "Legion".

The main areas of cooperation will be the training of the Ukrainian military under the guidance of instructors from partner countries and the arming of units on a brigade scale. This will allow Ukrainian soldiers to practice modern methods of conducting combat operations and increase the level of combat readiness at all levels.

The initiative also envisages holding joint exercises in Poland, which will provide realistic conditions for training and practicing coordination between units of different countries. This format allows integrating Ukrainian forces into modern NATO standards and increases compatibility with international partners.

Particular attention is paid to deepening Ukraine's cooperation with the Scandinavian and Baltic states in the field of security and defense. This includes the exchange of experience, joint training and the integration of Ukrainian military personnel into multinational units to increase operational efficiency.

"I am grateful to the Nordic and Baltic countries for their solidarity and consistent, strong support. Special thanks to Norway for its readiness to develop our cooperation," said Denys Shmyhal, emphasizing the importance of the new format for strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities and ensuring its security in the long term.

Thus, the Scandinavian-Baltic Initiative creates a mechanism for systemic support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which combines training, armament, and international integration, which significantly strengthens the potential of the Ukrainian army against the backdrop of ongoing threats.