Sweden and Finland have decided to work closer on the military level in order to counter rising tensions with Russia in the Baltic Region. This defence cooperation is a significant event because both Sweden as Finland are not NATO members, despite being EU members. Both countries and especially Finland were looking for a way to increase their military positions through a better military cooperation with other countries. We already reported earlier that Finland was looking to join NATO but that kind of cooperation only enjoys an approval rate of less than 20% in Finland.
It must not come as a surprise that Sweden and Finland decided to team up and form a joint defence. Both countries have experienced Russia’s aggressive military stance with Russia opening a new army base close to the Finnish border and Russian planes making feint attacks against Stockholm and disrupting international air traffic, almost causing two mid-air collisions with passenger jets. Joining NATO is still a bridge to far in both countries political policies so a joint cooperation seems only natural. However, unlike the NATO alliance, this cooperation is not intended to support each other should one be attacked. The cooperation does work as a potent deterrent aimed to deter Russia and make Russia think twice when acting aggressively against either Sweden or Finland.
The Swedish-Finnish cooperation will be seen mainly at sea. Both countries plan to create a joint naval task force. This naval task force will become operational by 2023. Access to each other’s naval bases is also a topic of discussion.
Sweden is, aside from Russia, the biggest naval actor in the Baltic Sea. Teaming up with Finland will increase the capabilities of the Swedish Navy, especially once it can have access to Finnish naval bases. Finland controls the access to the Russian city of Saint-Petersburg but lacks the naval power to impose a naval blockade. Sweden has a powerful fleet both in surface and submarine units and having access to Finnish naval bases will allow Sweden to intervene faster and sustain operation longer in the Gulf of Finland.
Join us next week for an in depth analysis of the Swedish and Finnish navy with a rundown of their units.