View from the north: What NATO leaders from Nordic, Baltic states think about defense

WASHINGTON — Last week’s NATO Summit brought the leaders of the 32 member states into Washington, where they laid out their priorities and visions for the future of the alliance.

As part of Breaking Defense’s on-the-ground coverage from the non-stop, newsmaking event, key defense officials from a handful of member nations shared their insights directly with our readers through first-person op-eds as part of our “NATO’s North Edge” series.

Over five exclusive op-eds, these officials gave their view of the security situation in Europe, particularly in light of the addition of Sweden and Finland to NATO and how that could impact the alliance’s defensive map.

Canadian Defence Minister: Our Commitment to NATO is growing in Europe and the Arctic

“Canada’s contributions to NATO are significant and enduring, but I want to be clear: We must and will invest more in defense and augment our military’s ability to contribute to the Alliance,” writes Canadian Minister of National Defence Bill Blair.

Finnish defense chief: Finland is dedicated to NATO’s Northern, Baltic needs

Commander of the Finnish Defense Forces Gen. Janne Jaakkola writes that Finland’s “geography, weather, national defense solution and our history as one of Russia’s neighboring countries have steered the development of the Finnish Defence Forces in the long term. Even during the most peaceful times in the security environment, the possibility of a military conflict has not been ruled out.”

Norway’s Chief of Defence: Allies are more than friends, in every direction

“We will support with what Ukraine needs, and right now military support is the most important. Ukraine needs weapons, ammunition, training and education of soldiers and much more to defend their own country and people,” Gen. Eirik Kristoffersen, Chief of Defence of Norway, writes. “The unity in the alliance and the cooperation with our partners and friends is strong.”

UK Ambassador: At 75, NATO Alliance more united than ever

“Winston Churchill once said: ‘There is only one thing worse than fighting with allies, and that is fighting without them.’ And as I sit here in my office at the British Embassy in Washington, watching the NATO flag flying next to the Union flag above our gate as world leaders gather for the NATO Summit, those words seem more relevant than ever,” writes Dame Karen Pierce, the British Ambassador to the US.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Arctic and Global Resilience: How the upcoming Arctic strategy will incorporate NATO

“The magnitude of the [Nordic Response] exercise is a demonstration of how the Alliance’s enlargement to include Finland and Sweden, and changing security dynamics in the Arctic, are placing enhanced emphasis on the region’s importance for the Alliance,” Iris A. Ferguson, the Pentagon’s Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Arctic and Global Resilience, writes.

In addition to the op-eds, the package included exclusive on-the-ground reporting, featuring top defense officials from Finland and Estonia, about how those nations are preparing for a war with Russia:

Baltic defensive bunker line not meant to stop Russian attack, but ‘shape’ it: General

“You cannot deter [a] mad person,” then-Chief of Defense for Estonia Gen. Martin Herem said, and Russia is “crazy.”

‘About survival’: Inside a Finnish shoot house, prep for a Russian invasion

Col. Matti Honko appears mostly satisfied with the non-live-fire exercise. It took about six minutes to clear the building, which Honko tells Breaking Defense was “a little slow.” Addressing the grenade that failed to explode, he notes dryly, “It helps if you pull the pin.”

Rounding out Breaking Defense’s regional coverage was a feature piece quoting the defense chiefs from the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Estonia on the question of when Russia will be ready and able to attack NATO territory. This exclusive reporting went deep into what may be the most important question alliance members are asking themselves, finding that while the consensus is around two-to-three years, there is no real certainty.

“I have more sense of urgency in 2024 than I had in 2023” about how quickly Russia can rearm its military, Norway’s Kristoffersen told Breaking Defense, citing support Moscow is receiving from Iran and North Korea. “The modernized, or the rebuilt Russian force is closer to us now than I would say one year ago.”