US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday it was important for the United States and Iceland to continue cooperating on security, describing the Nordic nation as central to the defence of the North Atlantic and Arctic regions as threats grow.
Rubio said Iceland occupied a critical strategic position for Western security and that Washington would be open to exploring closer cooperation, citing concerns about military, economic and infrastructure-related threats in the High North.
Below are quotes from Rubio, who was speaking alongside his Icelandic counterpart, Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir, during a visit to the country:
- "It's important that we continue to cooperate and secure your realm the way we are doing and continue to do."
- "Iceland sits at the center of many of the questions surrounding the security and defence of our shared region."
- "Today, those threats are growing."
- "Iceland has allowed the US military to project power, and collectively working together, using your land, your air, your sea, giving us a critical outpost for monitoring clandestine behaviour and deterring our adversaries."
- "We would be open to having those conversations to see what more we can do together. I know there's interest in doing more together."
- "Iceland and its location plays a critical role in the defence both of Europe but also of the homeland of the United States because of geography."
