Norway, Sweden and Finland have agreed to create a military transport corridor that will run through the north of each of the three countries, Norway’s prime minister announced today.

This agreement is an “important stage” for the three countries which are now all members NATOsaid Jonas Gar Store.

Finland and Sweden they abandoned decades of military neutrality after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, with Helsinki joining the Atlantic alliance in April 2023 and Stockholm in March 2024.

“Today, we agreed to establish a military transport corridor through northern Norway, northern Sweden and northern Finland” Store said at the end of the meeting with his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristerson and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

“This will enable rapid transfer of personnel and equipment from Norwegian ports to Finland via Sweden“, added the head of government.

The Arctic it has become a strategic area in recent years as melting ice due to global warming opens up shipping lanes and offers prospects for exploiting its wealth of oil, gas and mineral deposits.

In March, NATO also organized in the region the exercise “Nordic Response“, which was part of Operation Steadfast, the Alliance’s largest military exercise since the end of the Cold War.

Vladimir Putin’s Russia has for its part strengthened its military capabilities in the region, which is home to the powerful Northern Fleet.

The Norwegian government says in a statement that the defense ministers will lead the work of organizing this transport corridor.

“Together, they will identify bottlenecks, update necessary regulations and legislation, and invest in the required infrastructure to guarantee rapid and efficient military mobility“, says a statement.