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The European Union (EU) on Wednesday signed a defence agreement with Iceland, as the North Atlantic nation prepares for a referendum in August on whether to resume talks on joining the bloc.
The deal was signed in Brussels by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Iceland’s Foreign Minister, Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir.
The pact is designed to strengthen security cooperation, particularly in the Arctic, which has become increasingly strategic as sea ice melts due to global warming.
In a statement, the EU said the agreement marks a significant step in strengthening already close ties with Iceland, especially at a time of heightened global security concerns.
“In the current volatile security context, this important milestone for the EU and Iceland brings an impulse to their already deep relations.”
It is part of a broader EU push to deepen defence partnerships, following similar agreements with countries such as Canada, Britain and India.
Earlier this month, Iceland’s government proposed holding a referendum on August 29 to decide whether to restart EU membership negotiations, which were suspended in 2015.
Recent geopolitical developments, including renewed US interest in Greenland, have raised security concerns in Iceland. The country currently relies on the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) for its defence, as it does not maintain its own military.
Although not an EU member, Iceland participates in the bloc’s single market through the European Economic Area, alongside countries like Switzerland and Norway.
