Page 21 - North Atlantic and Nordic Defense

North European and North Atlantic Defense: The Challenges Return

Recently, I have a had an opportunity to follow up with Keith Eikenes in a phone interview during my most
recent trip to Scandinavia this Fall and to continue to discuss the evolving strategic environment and shaping a
way ahead.

Since we last spoke significant political changes in NATO countries, and in Europe more generally, have
occurred as well as continued Russian actions in the Middle East and I Europe, and most recently the conduct of
its large ZAPAD 17 exercise with ZAPAD in Russian meaning Western.

And the Swedes have just concluded their largest military exercise in more than 20 years.

Question: What is your current focus of attention in light of the various European developments?

Keith Eikenes: One of the things that we're looking at within the Nordic-Baltic format is how to strengthen our
dialogue and share experiences and views on crisis management in a multilateral setting.

This is one of the focus areas of the Nordic-Baltic cooperation.
Norway will follow up on this further, when we have the chairmanship of the Nordic Defence Cooperation
(NORDEFCO) group next year.

Question and Comment: We are not talking about the Soviet Union; we are focused on the Russians.

And what the current leader of Russia has demonstrated is his willingness to use military force as a
political instrument in Europe and elsewhere. Your focus then on crisis management and shaping
effective tools is really a key element of shaping a realistic way ahead.

And at the end of the day, if the Russians are focused on Arctic development, the only way this will
happen because of the fragility of the region is by collaborative engagement.

Does it make sense then to think about crisis management and collaborative engagement at the same
time?

Keith Eikenes: That is a good way to put it.

Engagement and deterrence go hand in hand in Norwegian policy.

We have always been able to have firmness and predictability at the same time as engagement and
cooperation.

There's a mutual interest in both in Norway and in Russia to maintain the Arctic as a stable region, and that's
something certainly that has been a Norwegian objective for most of the post-war era and continues to be so.

Question: A Danish colleague has focused recently in an interview on what he sees as the emergence of
a Nordic Security Zone, which extends from the Arctic through to the Baltics.

In your view, how best to work with allies and partners to enhance effectiveness in the Nordic Security
Zone?

Keith Eikenes: From the Norwegian point of view, NATO is the framework in which we address these security
challenges in northern Europe.

But we are working hard with Sweden and Finland to expand our Nordic cooperation as well.

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