Iceland must explore alternative avenues to enhance its national security following a recent referendum in which voters rejected the government’s proposal to reopen European Union accession talks, the country’s foreign minister said Monday.

The vote, held on Saturday, saw Icelanders oppose resuming EU membership discussions despite government warnings that joining the bloc could provide greater security amid evolving geopolitical challenges. Thorgerdur Gunnarsdottir, speaking in parliament after meeting with the foreign affairs committee, emphasized that while the referendum outcome was clear, the underlying security concerns remain unchanged.

“We didn’t vote away the geopolitical situation, it’s still there and we will have to find other ways to increase our security,” Gunnarsdottir said. The minister pointed to the need for reinforcing bilateral cooperation with key international partners and deepening Iceland’s ties with the EU, even outside formal membership.

Iceland, a North Atlantic island nation with a population of around 400,000, maintains no standing army. Its defense relies primarily on its NATO membership and a longstanding bilateral defense agreement with the United States established in 1951. Recent geopolitical developments, including comments from U.S. President Donald Trump about acquiring neighboring Greenland and questions about Washington’s NATO commitment, have intensified discussions about security in Iceland.

Gunnarsdottir underscored that the EU remains a vital partner, despite the referendum result, highlighting the importance of enhancing collaboration through existing frameworks. “We will look at bilateral agreements, we already have such agreements with Finland and Norway,” she said, adding that countries like Japan and Canada are also significant partners in Iceland’s broader security and economic strategy.

She further noted that Iceland intends to strengthen cooperation within the European Economic Area (EEA), stressing a rare consensus among Icelandic political parties in support of the EEA agreement following the referendum. The EEA allows Iceland access to the EU’s single market without formal membership, providing a platform for continued economic and regulatory alignment.

The government’s approach now centers on balancing the public’s rejection of EU accession with pragmatic efforts to maintain and expand Iceland’s international partnerships. This strategy seeks to address security concerns while respecting the electorate’s preference to remain outside the EU framework.