The Nordic countries should cooperate more on defence and in multilateral diplomacy

Recent changes in the Nordic states’ immediate security environment as well as in the broader international landscape have given a new sense of purpose to Nordic cooperation on foreign and security policy, turning questions of regional security into a priority area.

Nordic cooperation has to adjust to the political and institutional requirements of NATO and the EU, but this should not exclude taking common Nordic interests into consideration and promoting them. Stronger coordination could contribute to a strengthening of the Nordic position as a whole, but a clear message throughout Nordic MFAs is that no formal structures should be sought in Nordic foreign policy cooperation.

Nordic foreign and security policy cooperation is high on the agenda not least in Finland. As a reflection of this, the Finnish prime minister commissioned the present report: 'A Stronger North?:Nordic cooperation in foreign and security policy in a new security environment'. Its research was managed by the Finnish Institute for International Affairs and conducted by a group of Nordic researchers with a background in foreign and security policy studies. From Denmark participated Hans Mouritzen, DIIS.

Nordic countries have significant potential for a stronger Nordic voice, especially in multilateral fora like the UN and its agencies. Yet there are challenges: Nordic cooperation is often regarded as a supplement to the Nordic states’ individual multilateral efforts. Nordic EU cooperation lacks a strong tradition and Arctic questions are driven by slightly different national interests. New openings are more likely in areas detached from national core interests. The bilateral component of Nordic cooperation has increased in importance in recent years, particularly due to intensifying defence cooperation between Finland and Sweden. Bilateral relations should be seen as complementary, rather than a threat, to the multilateral structures of Nordic cooperation.