The European Union (EU) signed a defense agreement with Iceland on the 18th to strengthen bilateral security cooperation.
According to AFP, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kallas, and Icelandic Foreign Minister Gunnarsdóttir formally signed the agreement in Brussels on the 18th.
The EU stated in a declaration: "In the current turbulent security situation, this milestone injects new momentum into the already deep relationship between the EU and Iceland."
With global warming causing sea ice to melt, the strategic importance of the Arctic region has become increasingly prominent. In addition, former US President Trump once proposed buying Greenland, causing concerns in neighboring country Iceland.
Iceland currently does not have a standing army, and its defense is managed by the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). As a member of the European Economic Area (EEA), Iceland has access to the EU single market.