Northern Europe

Townsend in VOA News: Biden thanks Erdogan for Dropping Veto on Sweden, Finland NATO Bids

By James J. Townsend Jr.

Jim Townsend discusses the capabilities and strategic advantages Sweden and Finland will bring to NATO.

Vershbow in Politico: NATO rushes to halt Russia, leaving China pivot unresolved

By Alexander Vershbow

Alexander Vershbow discusses the implications of the decisions at the Madrid summit on the future of the alliance.

Wieslander cited in New York Times on European unity over Ukraine

“Anna Wieslander, the Swedish director for Northern Europe for the Atlantic Council, said that although support for Ukraine had mostly held across the alliance, it was uneven: strongest in nations with long experience and deep fears of Russian domination, like Poland and the Baltic states, and more difficult to maintain in countries like Belgium, the […]

Wieslander quoted in New York Times on NATO’s changed geostrategic reality

“Referring to the changing geostrategic reality wrought by February’s invasion, Anna Wieslander, the Swedish director for Northern Europe for the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think-tank, said the shift toward collective defense was much bigger than previously seen. ‘It really is a before Feb. 24 and after,’ she said, referring to the date of Russia’s invasion […]

Wieslander speaks at NATO Public Forum in Madrid

On June 29th, Director for Northern Europe Anna Wieslander spoke at the NATO Public Forum in Madrid on the panel “Ambiguous Threats, Determined Responses: Countering Hybrid Threats against NATO Allies.” Ms. Wieslander discussed Sweden’s total-defence strategy along with panelists Lieutenant General Hans-Werner Wiermann, Director General for NATO International Military Staff and Irene Fellin, Special Representative […]

Binnendijk and Vershbow in Brookings: Rebalancing European and trans-Atlantic defense

By Hans Binnendijk, Alexander Vershbow

Hans Binnendijk and Alexander Vershbow write that Europe and the US must find a balance between complete European strategic autonomy and hefty reliance on US defense spending.

Williams in the New York Times: middle power nations want to maintain strategic autonomy and will not easily cozy up to the US regarding Russia

By Michael John Williams

Michael John Williams was quoted in the New York Times asserting that middle power nations such as Brazil, India, Israel, and South Africa want to maintain their strategic autonomy and will not easily side with the US in opposing Russia.