Joint Statement at the Aurora Forum, 26 March 2026
A Joint Statement on European security from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
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On 25-26 March, Ministers, State Secretaries and senior representatives from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom met in the margins of the Aurora Forum in London.
UK Minister for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty, chaired a roundtable with Nordic‑Baltic counterparts to discuss shared priorities. Building on their roundtable in 2025, they reaffirmed their enduring commitment to ever closer Nordic‑Baltic–UK cooperation. The UK and the NB8 are among Europe’s most like‑minded partners, standing shoulder to shoulder in defence of our shared security, of international law, and of our shared values and interests. Our cooperation is a pillar of European stability – because when we act together, Europe is unequivocally stronger.
Ukraine
Ministers and Representatives reaffirmed their support to Ukraine is ironclad, for as long as it takes, and for as long as Ukraine needs – to achieve just, comprehensive and lasting peace, in full compliance with the United Nations Charter and international law and underpinned by credible security guarantees. Representatives underscored that maintaining Western unity is essential. There can be no sustainable peace unless it guarantees Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and free development – and Ukraine must remain central to all decisions about its future. Representatives also expressed support to Ukraine’s integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions.
They welcomed ongoing UK-NB8 leadership in European efforts to provide Ukraine with long‑term military assistance, including multi‑year support packages and initiatives.
Representatives recognised progress in joint procurement, co‑production, and direct purchases from Ukrainian defence industry, strengthening Ukraine’s capacity while deepening European‑Ukrainian industrial partnerships. They agreed to intensify diplomatic efforts to encourage global partners to increase support. Representatives welcomed the continued development of Ukraine’s Reconstruction and Resilience financing, including coordinated sanctions‑revenue mechanisms.
European Security
Representatives agreed that Europe’s unity is strategic and reiterated their steadfast commitment to NATO and to the principles of collective defence. They underlined the significant, direct and long-term threat posed by Russia’s aggressive actions against its neighbours and the wider transatlantic community, and thus to the Euro‑Atlantic security.
They committed to coordinated efforts to contest and constrain Russia’s war machine, as well as ongoing coordination including strengthening sanctions packages and tightening enforcement across the NB8‑UK region; expanding work to close sanctions circumvention routes through third countries; intensifying cooperation to tackle Russia’s shadow fleet, in particular as part of the broader NB8++ grouping. They noted the value of cooperation between nations at NATO, including via NATO Baltic Sentry enhanced vigilance activity, as well as via the JEF, and through national efforts, such as Operation Nordic Warden, to track and deter shadow fleet activity threatening the North Atlantic and Baltic Sea regions. They committed to further coordination across the areas of joint monitoring, information sharing, maritime intelligence and action at the IMO and G7.
Representatives expressed serious concern about the persistent Russian hybrid threat across Northern Europe – and that we will not allow states to destabilise our societies or erode our freedoms. This region has seen incidents of sabotage, GNSS jamming and spoofing, cyber intrusions, territorial violations, instrumentalization of migration and disinformation campaigns. We will confront and deter this malign activity and defend our sovereignty, democratic institutions and people.
Representatives welcomed increased joint monitoring and rapid information sharing mechanisms, the growing body of NB8–UK cooperation to detect and counter foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI); strengthening collective cyber resilience, protect critical infrastructure, and reinforce national responses to hybrid incidents.
High North Security
Representatives noted that the High North is critical to our collective Alliance security and an area of intensified strategic competition, closely linked to the security in Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea region. As climate change brings serious challenges to the environment and people globally, it also accelerates the opening of new sea routes, impacting the region. The High North will require greater attention, greater investment, and stronger collective defence. They noted the particular role of detecting and deterring threats to maritime and Euro-Atlantic security emanating from the High North and protecting the Greenland-Iceland-UK Gap. As well as our shared collective expertise and joint exercises in the High North, and strong defence industrial collaboration, they strongly welcomed the launch of NATO’s Arctic Sentry including the recently conducted exercise Cold Response 26. and the JEF’s Exercise Lion Protector 26 to bolster security in the High North.
The Aurora Forum is an independent annual forum established to bring together governments, businesses and civil society from the UK and Nordic-Baltic states to discuss shared priorities, including Northern European security, trade, technology and energy security and transition. Today’s roundtable marks the second time Ministers, State Secretaries and senior representatives have gathered in this format.