What limitations and opportunities arise from an integrated Nordic flank within NATO? The Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 prompted Finland and Sweden to seek NATO membership, and with their accession to NATO, the Nordic region now seeks coordinated defense and military strategies. The full-scale invasion also brought societal security and preparedness to the top of the political agendas of the Nordic countries. The revitalization of concepts like “total defense” quickly made clear that a wide range of actors within each nation-state – ranging from the political elite, and civil and military government agencies, to the media, the business sector, and the general public – have to align in how they understand and respond to military threats by antagonistic actors.
PRIO conducts a series of related projects on New Nordic Security that seek to understand the influence of similarities and differences among the Nordic countries in areas such as strategic location, security policy, the relationship between domestic and foreign policy, and the organization of their military capacities. The projects involve structured analysis and support for long-term Nordic dialogue benefiting each Nordic country individually and the region.
