The United States and Iceland held the annual U.S.-Iceland Strategic Dialogue in Reykjavik and Keflavik on May 2-3. The Dialogue was led by Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary Douglas Jones, Office of the Secretary of Defense Principal Director for Europe and NATO Policy Alton Buland, Icelandic Permanent Secretary of State Martin Eyjólfsson, Director General for Defense Jonas Allansson, and Director General María Mjöll Jónsdóttir, with participation from U.S. Ambassador to Iceland Carrin F. Patman and Icelandic Ambassador to the United States Bergdís Ellertsdóttir.
The United States and Iceland welcomed the robust ongoing security cooperation since the Dialogue last convened in Washington, D.C. on April 21, 2023. The delegations discussed, among other topics, expanding bilateral defense cooperation, support to Ukraine to defend itself against Russia’s aggression, the Indo-Pacific region, the situation in the Middle East, and Arctic Security. The two Allies also consulted on priorities for the upcoming NATO Summit in Washington, D.C. Over the past year, U.S. submarines have conducted four brief stops for personnel and supplies in Iceland. These stops facilitate U.S. presence in the North Atlantic and High North in support of the security of Iceland, the United States, and NATO. Both countries have also continued important air policing and antisubmarine missions bilaterally and in the context of NATO’s ongoing missions.
The United States and Iceland reaffirmed the 1951 bilateral defense agreement and committed to further expanding the indispensable partnership between the two countries.
