On 5 December, the European Union and Norway held their fourth Dialogue on Security and Defence in Brussels. This year our long-standing partnership has been taken to the next level through the signing of the Security and Defence Partnership, which has opened up avenues for further dialogue and cooperation.

EU-Norway security and defence cooperation is more important than ever in the face of Russia’s continued war of aggression against Ukraine.

The Dialogue included strategic discussions on transatlantic partnership and strengthening EU-NATO cooperation in the current security environment. The EU and Norway reiterated their determination to step up support for Ukraine, including for its defence industry, and to continue deterring Russia and constraining its offensive capabilities, including through restrictive measures. This year, both the EU and Norway signed their respective security commitments with Ukraine, pledging sustained long-term support for Kyiv through military, diplomatic, economic and humanitarian measures.

The EU welcomed the expansion of Norway’s Nansen Support Program for Ukraine. Norway has provided valuable voluntary financial contributions to the European Peace Facility in support of training the Ukrainian troops through EUMAM Ukraine and for the provision of military equipment for Ukraine.

The EU and Norway exchanged on the EU’s defence agenda, including work on the White Paper on the Future of European Defence and on the European Defence Industrial Programme, in the light of Norway’s participation in EU programmes aimed at strengthening the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base.

Norway is a valued partner in the PESCO project on military mobility. The EU welcomes Norway hosting the next meeting of the project on 31 March to 2 April 2025 in Oslo.

The EU appreciates Norway’s contribution to EUMAM Ukraine, its interest in contributing to the EU’s naval Operation ASPIDES in the Red Sea as well as to civilian CSDP missions in Armenia, Ukraine, and the Republic of Moldova, in addition to its current engagement in EULEX Kosovo.

The EU and Norway recognise space as a strategic domain. They agreed to have a dedicated dialogue on space security and acknowledged the longstanding cooperation already in place, in particular at multilateral level.

In light of Russia’s unprecedented resort to hybrid attacks, it was decided to hold in early 2025 expert-level consultations on cyber and hybrid threats.

The EU and Norway also agreed to launch in the first half of next year a dialogue on peace mediation, which would enhance coordination on priority geographic and thematic areas. 

The EU and Norway endeavour to organise a second edition of the symposium on the EU-Norway Security and Defence Partnership to accompany 2025 Security and Defence Dialogue to be hosted in Oslo, with a view to engaging civil society in charting our way forward.

The EU and Norway deplored the support of China, North Korea and Iran to Russia, which heightens security threats, also in the Indo-Pacific region. The EU briefed Norway on its recent signing of Security and Defence Partnerships with Japan and the Republic of Korea.

The meeting was co-chaired by Charles Fries, Deputy Secretary General for Peace, Security and Defence at the European External Action Service, as well as Eivind Vad Petersson, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway, and State Secretary Hans Christian Hveem Kjølseth of the Ministry of Defence of Norway.