European Defense, the Arctic and the Future

06/08/2014

In this Special Report, Second Line of Defense looks at the evolving defense and security situation in the Baltics and in the Arctic.  Russian actions in Crimea have returned direct defense to the European agenda, a fact not missed by the Northern European powers and the Baltic states.

Put bluntly, one Danish leader underscored:

The Ukraine situation has in fact put emphasis to our own region after having the luxury I would say for maybe ten or fifteen years to see security issues as largely being about national interests in a global setting such as in Afghanistan, Libya or wherever and now suddenly it is not as much a matter of national interest, it is actually a matter of national defense.

This report is divided into three parts in examining the dynamics of change in the region.

The first part is based on interviews conducted in Denmark in May 2014 and provides Danish perspectives on the evolving defense and security situation in their neighborhood.

The second part examines how the Crimean crisis is affecting broader global relations, and the direct defense of Europe, in particular.

The third part then focuses upon the Arctic opening and ways the developmental, safety and security dimensions intersect with Arctic defense.

Russian map making is having its impact on Northern Europe.  This report focuses on some aspects of that impact.

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