Northern Europe

Northern Europe holds great geostrategic importance to the transatlantic community as trade routes, emerging competition in the Arctic, and sustained Russian pressure make the region a key security concern for competing powers. Northern European states are active members of the transatlantic community, and they face similar concerns with their allies and partners: climate change, foreign influence campaigns, disinformation, and growing populist sentiment. Despite disagreements on fundamental policy issues, the United States must continue to engage its regional allies and partners.

Content

New Atlanticist

Jun 30, 2023

The next European Union member is…

By Atlantic Council experts

Ten years after Croatia joined the bloc—the last country to do so—Atlantic Council experts look at eleven countries that might join next.

Central Europe Eastern Europe

In the News

Jun 30, 2023

Wieslander interviewed on Radio Sweden

P1 Morgon The NATO summit in Vilnius is coming up in a couple of weeks and it seems doubtful that Sweden will be a member of NATO. What does this mean for Sweden and NATO? What are the main risks? Reporter Mikael Kulle speaks to Michael Claesson, Chief of the Defense Staff and Anna Wieslander, […]

NATO Northern Europe

New Atlanticist

Jun 27, 2023

Finland and Sweden’s NATO entries are a mixed blessing for the old Nordic allies

By Ann-Sofie Dahl

Denmark, Norway, and Iceland are delighted to see their two neighbors in NATO. But Finland and Sweden’s size and strategic importance could cause the old Nordics to be overshadowed in the Alliance.

Defense Policy Maritime Security

In the News

Jun 24, 2023

Wieslander interviewed in Monocle

Forging the future of Nato:  National leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation are gearing up for the alliance’s high-stakes summit next month in Lithuania. How has the war in Ukraine transformed Nato? And what comes next? Andrew Mueller speaks to Ingrida Simonyte, prime minister of Lithuania; Benedetta Berti-Alberti, head of policy planning in the […]

NATO Northern Europe

In the News

Jun 16, 2023

Rich Outzen joins TRT World Strait Talk to discuss Sweden-Finland-Turkey NATO Meeting

Eastern Europe NATO

New Atlanticist

Jun 8, 2023

Restocking US and allies’ arsenals starts with getting industry involved at the NATO summit

By Giedrimas Jeglinskas and Viltaute Zarembaite

The upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius offers an opportunity for government officials and the defense industry to get on the same page about the true urgency of inadequate defense supply chains.

Central Europe Defense Industry

In the News

Jun 7, 2023

Wieslander interviewed in Saab Security Talks

NATO – How does it affect Sweden? A changing environment has led Finland to join NATO and Sweden will soon do the same. What will NATO mean for us from a military, security and industrial perspective?Commander-in-Chief Micael Bydén and Anna Wieslander, Chairman of the Board of the Institute for Security and Development Policy, talk with […]

NATO Northern Europe

Issue Brief

Jun 1, 2023

Autonomy and asymmetry: The future of Norway’s defense 2022-2042

By August Cole

August Cole provides an in-depth examination of Norway's potential defense strategies, the implications of autonomous drones and artificial intelligence, and the necessary transformation of military norms in response to the threats from Russia and beyond.

Defense Policy Eastern Europe

In the News

May 31, 2023

Wieslander quoted in New York Times on Arctic tensions

Arctic Risks Loom Large as Blinken Tours NATO’s North: “There remains a concern that China, which now has even closer ties to Russia, remains active in the Far North, building big icebreakers. ‘China will reach Europe through the Arctic,’ Ms. Wieslander said.”

NATO Northern Europe

In the News

May 29, 2023

Wieslander quoted in Wall Street Journal on Turkey & Sweden’s NATO accession

“The Turkish leader’s demands have created a political knot that will be difficult to address unless he is willing to soften his stance, said Anna Wieslander, the Stockholm-based director for Northern Europe at the Atlantic Council. ‘It’s worrisome that he put something on the table which is not solvable,’ Wieslander said. ‘Turkey is creating a […]

NATO Northern Europe

Experts