ABSTRACT
Northern Europe is central to the competition between the West and Russia over the future of the European security order and, by extension, of the rules-based global order. From a US defence and security perspective, Northern Europe consists of two distinct but interlinked regions: the Baltic Sea region and the Atlantic-facing part of Northern Europe. The Baltic region now includes three Baltic States and Poland as NATO front line allies in the new contest between Russia and the West. The Atlantic-facing portion of Northern Europe, including the High North, constitutes NATO’s northern flank, and the ability to defend and control it during a crisis will be vital to ensuring the rapid reinforcement of NATO from the US across the Atlantic. The US and its allies will always have to plan and ensure access to sufficient capabilities from other sources so that they are able to act without Sweden or Finland.
