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Brunssum, The Netherlands – On 10^th May, General Jörg Vollmer, Commander of Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFCBS), welcomed the Special Advisor to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iceland, Mr Arnór Sigurjónsson, to Brunssum.

JFCBS Senior Staff briefed Mr Sigurjónsson on a range of topics including the Russian illegal invasion of Ukraine and the role of JFCBS. General Vollmer thanked his guest for Iceland's continuing contribution to NATO and the excellent cooperation with JFC Brunssum.

Iceland is a founding member of NATO and has contributed to Alliance-led missions and operations for many years with civilian staff. Icelandic experts operated the Airport of Pristina in the early years of the deployment of NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR), and Icelandic civilian Media Officers regularly support the enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Battlegroups in Estonia and Lithuania. The country is also in the process of establishing a NATO Deployable Stabilisation and Reconstruction Team.

NATO, in turn, deploys an Air Policing capability to patrol Iceland's airspace. NATO Allies periodically deploy fighter aircraft to Keflavik Air Base to provide protection of its airspace. The first deployment of aircraft took place in May 2008. Until now, 11 NATO countries have participated in Icelandic Air Policing. Such cooperation serves to demonstrate that NATO is a defensive Alliance but, at the same time, capable, ready and willing to deter any aggressor and defend all its members and their territory should the need arise, even in the High North.