Iceland's Prime Minister, Kristrun Frostadottir, has announced that the country will hold a referendum in the coming months regarding its potential membership in the European Union (EU). This decision comes after a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, as part of efforts to prepare for the referendum that aims to revisit Iceland's EU accession negotiations, which had been put on hold since 2013.

The context for this renewed interest in EU membership stems from rising living costs and the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has shifted public sentiment towards favoring EU membership again. Polls indicate that the Icelandic population is increasingly supportive of joining the EU, reflecting the changing economic landscape and geopolitical concerns that the nation has been facing in recent years.

Iceland, while not an EU member, participates in the Schengen Area and is one of the founding members of NATO since 1949. The upcoming referendum represents a significant political development for Iceland, potentially altering its relationship with the EU and impacting its economic and security environments.