Northern Europe

Ambassador Mark Brzezinski on Sweden, NATO, and the Future

On March 13, 2014 the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security hosted a strategy session with the US ambassador to Sweden Mark Brzezinski on Sweden’s role as a NATO partner and on the broader framework of US-Sweden security cooperation.  Visiting Stockholm in September, President Barack Obama underscored Sweden’s importance as one of the […]

Sixteen Nations Participating in Norway’s Cold Response Military Exercise This Week

By Norwwegian Armed Forces

The main purpose of Cold Response is to train participants in how to conduct combat operations in cold weather conditions.

Obama Reaffirms US Commitment to Defend Baltic Allies

From the White House:  The President spoke separately with Prime Minister Cameron, President Hollande, and Prime Minister Renzi today about Ukraine.

Ukraine Crisis Stokes Baltic Nerves Over Russia

By Andrius Saytas and Aija Krutaine, Reuters

The Baltics fear Russia’s military buildup over Ukraine will lead to Moscow sowing more trouble in their region after it curbed important exports last year and buzzed their borders, forcing NATO to scramble jets dozens of times.

Sweden Mulls ‘Doctrine Shift’ in Defense After Russian Incursion in Ukraine

By Niclas Rolander, Wall Street Journal

The continuing crisis in Ukraine has the reputedly peaceful Swedes rethinking the nation’s defense doctrine, and some are using the situation as a way to push for NATO membership

Sweden and America Link Arms on Development Assistance

By Mark Brzezinski and Bjorn Lyrvall

If we asked a random sample of people what the world of 2030 might look like, what sorts of answers would we get? Amid predictions of advances in medicine, transportation and communications technology, we would no doubt expect some dire hypothetical scenarios: If population growth continues at current rates, if the gap in income equality […]

NATO Ambassadors Confront Russian Diplomat in ‘Tense’ Meeting

By Anne Gearan and Karen DeYoung, Washington Post

A NATO diplomat, describing the [NATO-Russia Council] session as “tense,” said alliance members one by one confronted Alexander V. Grushko, Russia’s representative to NATO, with charges that Moscow was violating international law in Crimea and concocting threats against ethnic Russians there to justify its actions.

Sweden Responds to Russian Exercises by Sending Jets to Baltic Base

By The Local (Sweden)

The Swedish Armed Forces sent extra air defence to the island of Gotland on Tuesday in response to a large-scale Russian training exercise being carried out in the Baltic Sea.

Video of NATO and Partner Air Forces Training Over Iceland

By NATO

For three weeks NATO Allies have been training air defence flying in Iceland together with first-time participants Sweden and Finland.

Brzezinski: Ukraine Should Join EU, but No Military Alliance

By Zbigniew Brzezinski, Financial Times

The west, however, can play a constructive role in containing the exploding violence. That will take concerted action by the US and the EU.