MOSCOW (Sputnik) — NATO member Denmark and non-aligned Sweden will work toward expanding their military cooperation, the two countries’ defense ministers said in a joint statement following their Wednesday meeting in Copenhagen.
"A pragmatic and determined effort will be made to enhance Danish-Swedish military cooperation in order to achieve increased operational effect and added value to mutual benefit for both countries. We underline the political will and intent to move forward," Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist and his Danish counterpart Nicolai Wammen said in a statement published on the Danish Defense Ministry’s official website.
The two ministers discussed a report on future military collaboration prepared by the Danish and Swedish armies, which, among other things, calls for the extension of the two countries’ opportunities to fly and sail in each other's territories.
The report also recommends extending intelligence cooperation by sharing data on airspace and maritime surveillance, according to the Danish Defense Ministry.
Early in April, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Iceland agreed to expand military cooperation amid what they called Russian "aggression" in Ukraine — a claim that Moscow has repeatedly denied — and increased Russian military activity in the Baltic region.
In recent months, Swedish authorities have repeatedly claimed that Russian aircraft have been flying too close to the country's airspace in the Baltic region. The Russian Defense Ministry has denied these allegations.
