The Nordic–Baltic region is located as a geopolitical buffer zone between the great power interests of the East and the West. As external pressures are rising with an assertive Russia to the east and uncertainties about US NATO guarantees to the west, compounded by an uncertain EU, the region is challenged to respond, particularly in the areas of defence and security. This report begins with the regional demand for enhanced defence and security cooperation.
This was the background for a workshop that was held at the Centre for Military Studies in March 2017 consisting of 25 regional experts, all weighing in on the current status and possible future venues for Nordic–Baltic defence and security cooperation. The report reflects this, as it provides a brief institutional survey of the main regional defence and security collaborations and follows up with numerous options for future Nordic–Baltic cooperation. These options are presented through four dimensions of defence and security cooperation: Political level options, force generation options, force employment options and security and resilience options, all of which comprise concrete, policy-oriented ideas that can either be implemented as is or – more ambitiously – will inspire new ideas. The report suggests a Nordic–Baltic ‘Schengen for Defence’, Baltic NORDEFCO membership, adaption of NB8 to be the principal regional venue for defence and security dialogue, Nordic–Baltic table-top exercises and numerous other options