NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Concludes Inaugural Visit to Iceland, Praising Strategic Role and Ukraine Support

Secretary General Rutte's Inaugural Visit to Iceland

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte concluded his inaugural visit to Iceland on Thursday, November 27, 2025, marking his first official trip to the nation since assuming office in October 2024. During his visit, Rutte engaged in high-level discussions with Icelandic officials, including Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir and Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, focusing on Iceland's pivotal strategic position within the Alliance.

The Secretary General's itinerary included a visit to Keflavík Air Base and an aerial tour by helicopter over the lava barriers protecting Grindavík. These structures, built to safeguard the town and critical infrastructure from volcanic activity, were highlighted by Rutte as a testament to Iceland's 'commitment, ingenuity and resilience'.

Iceland's Strategic Importance and NATO Contributions

During his meetings, Secretary General Rutte underscored Iceland's growing strategic importance in the North Atlantic and Arctic regions. He praised Iceland's unique and indispensable role, referring to the country as 'the eyes and ears' for many within NATO.

Rutte acknowledged Iceland's substantial contributions to the Alliance, despite not maintaining a standing army. These contributions include:

• Investments in air defense and surveillance systems.
• Provision of host-nation support at Keflavík for regular Air Policing.
• The recent presentation of Iceland's first formal defense policy to parliament.
• Increased defense-related spending, moving towards NATO's 1.5 percent benchmark.
• A recently signed memorandum on harbor development at Helguvík to support NATO activity and local communities.

Rutte emphasized that Iceland's strategic position 'underpins security for North America and Europe – at sea, below the surface, and in the air above'.

Support for Ukraine and Regional Security

A significant part of the discussions also centered on Iceland's continued and robust support for Ukraine. Secretary General Rutte commended Iceland for its efforts, which include:

• Contributing over 8 million euros to the Prioritized Ukraine Requirement List (PURL).
• Supporting the Danish defense industry model and the Czech Ammunition Initiative.
• Funding prosthetics for wounded Ukrainians and supporting demining efforts with Lithuania.

Rutte stated that these are 'concrete contributions that save lives and strengthen Ukraine’s defence and also send a clear signal to Moscow that Allies stand with Ukraine'. The visit reinforced NATO's message that Iceland remains a crucial partner as the Alliance strengthens its posture in the Arctic and North Atlantic, and reaffirmed NATO's unified stance on Ukraine.