What's happened
In response to rising tensions from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Finland and Sweden are enhancing crisis preparedness. Finland's government has launched a website for emergency readiness, while Sweden distributes pamphlets urging citizens to prepare for potential war. These actions reflect a shift in security policy among Nordic nations now aligned with NATO.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to SBS, Finnish Undersecretary Outi Holopainen emphasized the importance of partnerships, stating, "Maybe now more than ever, we need partners like Australia to help us in building security." The Guardian reported that Germany and Sweden are also taking steps to prepare their populations for potential conflict, with Sweden distributing a pamphlet titled 'If Crisis or War Comes.' This reflects a broader trend of increasing military readiness in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Bloomberg noted that Finland's website aims to guide citizens on surviving crises, indicating a proactive approach to national security. These sources collectively illustrate a significant shift in Nordic nations' defense strategies amid rising geopolitical tensions.
How we got here
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has prompted Finland and Sweden to abandon their long-standing policies of nonalignment, joining NATO in 2023. This shift has led to increased public awareness and preparedness initiatives in both countries as they brace for potential conflict.
More on these topics
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Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which borders it to the east and northeast.
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Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Covering an area of 17,125,200 square kilometres, it is the largest country in the world by area, spanning more than one-eighth of the Earth's in
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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 North American and European countries.
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Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the west, Russia to the east, Norway to the north, and is defined by the Gulf of Bothnia to the west, and the Gulf of Finland of the
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Sweden, officially the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, Finland to the east, and is connected to Denmark in the southwest by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund Strait.
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Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central and Western Europe. Covering an area of 357,022 square kilometres, it lies between the Baltic and North seas to the north, and the Alps to the south.