Diplomats assert that Denmark and Sweden are now aware of why Finland has become a part of every aspect of European integration, from the Schengen zone to the euro. Finland has always felt its vulnerability due to its 830-mile border with Russia. Even if the border had been peaceful for decades, it has always been tense, and Finns have never forgotten their military confrontations with Russia during World War II.
"To feel secure"
Therefore, Finland did not drastically reduce its military expenditures unlike Sweden and Denmark. During the euro crisis in 2011, when they were asked why they joined the eurozone, despite their opposition to most decisions regarding the Greek crisis, a Finnish official replied with one word: "Security". He added that Finland is a full-fledged member of the Eurozone without exception and pointed out that "every layer of European integration represents another layer of security".
This shock prompted the "Nordic Eight" countries, because they all have experience interacting with Russia in one form or another. They all understand, as noted by the Danish foreign minister, that "the future of European security is at risk" since the start of the war in Ukraine. The Nordic and Baltic countries together represent a second major supplier of weapons to Ukraine after the USA.
Here leads Fredriksen
The "Nordic Eight" group thrived when the new independent Baltic states sought assistance in democratic development and economic integration with their neighbors to the north. Over time, this became a platform for the exchange of all possible information and experience on digital transformation, climate activities, and security. Russia's war against Ukraine suddenly and powerfully evoked a sense of urgency within the "Nordic Eight" group.
Government officials regularly gather and often issue joint statements. At a closed meeting, one representative of the Baltic states proudly declared: "Now we are also Nordic countries," which positioned them as secondary within the frameworks of the Forin Polis analysis.
