FILE PHOTO: A statue of Norse explorer Leif Erikson near Hallgrimskirkja church ahead of a referendum on whether Iceland should resume accession negotiations with the European Union, in Reykjavik, Iceland, August 10, 2026. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
Iceland, NATO’s only member without a standing military, is reassessing its security as Russian and Chinese activity grows in the vital North Atlantic and Arctic. The nation of 400,000 has long relied on NATO and a 1951 defence agreement with the United States, but has adopted its first security policy.
During the US-led Northern Viking exercise, allied aircraft, ships and troops practised protecting infrastructure, sea lanes and undersea cables. Iceland’s police, coast guard and civilian officials perform military roles, while NATO provides surveillance and air policing. Some campaigners want a voluntary 2,000-person defence force, backed by reserves and wartime mobilisation, arguing Iceland should share responsibility for its defence. However, creating an army remains unpopular.
Icelanders are also preparing to vote on reopening European Union membership negotiations, with supporters viewing EU ties as added security and opponents warning that EU membership could draw Iceland into greater militarisation and overseas conflicts.
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