Northern Europe

US Suggests Baltics War Games in Response to Russian ‘Land Grab’

By Roberta Rampton, Reuters

The United States is considering sending troops for war games in the Baltic states bordering Russia, Vice President Joe Biden said on Tuesday in an effort to reassure NATO allies alarmed at the Kremlin’s intervention in Ukraine.

Italian Paper Reports Norway’s Stoltenberg Favored to be Next Secretary General of NATO

By The Local (Norway)

Former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg [@jensstoltenberg] is the clear favourite to become the next Secretary General of NATO when Denmark’s Anders Fogh Rasmussen steps down in September

Prime Minister Katainen: Finland is Not Neutral, NATO is an Option

By Yle

In an interview published on Sunday in the German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen reiterated the country’s stance that Finland is not a neutral country, even though it is not part of any military alliances.

After Crimea, Sweden Flirts With Joining NATO

By Matt Ford, Atlantic

It’s a good time to have friends in Eastern 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 […]