The evolution of Nordic military integration in the context of Russian hybrid and military threats

Abstract

The accession of Sweden and Finland to the North Atlantic Alliance has profoundly transformed the security environment of Northern Europe. At the same time, the intensity of hybrid and military threats from the Russian Federation has increased, highlighting the urgent need for deeper regional cooperation among the Nordic states. One of the key dimensions of this cooperation has been the strengthening of military integration, regarded as an effective tool for enhancing collective defence capabilities. Purpose. The aim of the study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the processes of military integration among the Nordic countries under the new security conditions following Sweden’s and Finland’s accession to NATO. Methods. To achieve this aim, a set of scientific approaches was applied, ensuring a systematic character of the research. Chronological and comparative methods made it possible to trace the transformation of integration processes before and after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The method of analysis and synthesis allowed the identification of key provisions in the works of domestic and foreign scholars concerning the evolution of Nordic security cooperation. Furthermore, the analysis of NATO documents, NORDEFCO reports, and national defence strategies provided insights into current directions and prospects for the development of military integration in the region. Results. The study demonstrated that the Nordic states view military integration as one of the leading instruments for ensuring security and stability in Northern Europe. According to the principles of institutionalism, Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to NATO was a natural outcome of their long-standing institutional interaction with the Alliance, which created a «path dependency» effect. Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine gave new impetus to regional cooperation within NORDEFCO, historically serving as the first platform for coordinating defence strategies among Nordic states. Under current conditions, the countries of Northern Europe are actively integrating their naval and air force capabilities while simultaneously strengthening NATO’s positions in the Baltic Sea and the Arctic. Conclusions. The findings confirm that military integration constitutes a key element of ensuring security in the region amid hybrid and military challenges from Russia. The expansion of joint exercises, standardization of armaments, development of defence-industrial cooperation, and exchange of technologies significantly enhance the defence capacity of the Nordic states and reinforce NATO’s military-political positions. This enables the region to respond more effectively to asymmetric threats and lays the foundation for a long-term collective strategy of deterring Russia. At the same time, the study has shown that cooperation with Ukraine has become an integral component of the new security architecture of Northern Europe. Cooperation with Kyiv and the incorporation of its experience from the full-scale war enable the Nordic countries and NATO not only to strengthen their own defence capabilities but also to identify and address vulnerabilities within the collective deterrence system against Russia.