A Comparative Analysis of Nordic Countries’ Responses to the Ukraine-Russia War
Authors
Hasibul Alam
Share
Annotation
The Nordic Countries have taken different approaches towards a shared goal of helping Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty against Russia’s invasion while securing the safety of the Nordic region. The Nordic countries have taken and resettled over 0.2 million Ukrainian refugees since the beginning of the war as of early 2024. The combined financial aid to Ukraine from the Nordic countries totals approximately €19.03 billion. Among the Nordic countries, Denmark and Finland have taken a military-centric approach by sending most of their funds towards military support, while Sweden took a more humanitarian approach. Iceland and Norway took a balanced approach maintaining equality in terms of providing humanitarian and military aid. Denmark, Norway and Sweden have taken a long-term initiative towards helping Ukraine. Even Iceland is also undergoing the approval of a five-year-long plan to help Ukraine in the war. All five of the Nordic countries are now members of NATO, as Finland and Sweden have joined recently, to ensure the security of the Nordic region. The Nordic countries have sided with Ukraine against Russia since the beginning of the invasion and plan on supporting it as long as it takes.
Keywords
Authors
Hasibul Alam
Share
References:
Beauregard, P. (2021). International emotional resonance: Explaining transatlantic economic sanctions against Russia. Cooperation and Conflict, 57(1), p.001083672110276. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/00108367211027609.
Beirens, H., Maas, S., Petronella, S. and Van Der Velden, M. (2016). Study on the Temporary Protection Directive. [online] Brussels: European Commission. Available at: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2020-09/final_report_evaluation_tpd_en.pdf [Accessed 25 Feb. 2024].
Bella, G.D., Flanagan, M.J., Foda, K., Maslova, S., Pienkowski, A., Stuermer, M. and Toscani, F.G. (2022). Natural Gas in Europe: The Potential Impact of Disruptions to Supply. IMF Working Papers, [online] 2022(145). doi:https://doi.org/10.5089/9798400215292.001.A001.
Deudney, D.H. (2024). Geopolitics. [online] Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/geopolitics [Accessed 11 Mar. 2024].
Dickinson, P. (2023). Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was never about NATO. [online] Atlantic Council. Available at: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/russias-invasion-of-ukraine-was-never-about-nato/ [Accessed 24 Mar. 2024].
Dumbrava, C. (2022). Russia’s war on Ukraine: Assisting Ukrainians at the EU’s borders. [online] EPRS Briefing. Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2022/729288/EPRS_ATA(2022)729288_EN.pdf [Accessed 25 Feb. 2024].
Government of Iceland (2024a). Long-term support to Ukraine. [online] Available at: https://www.government.is/diplomatic-missions/embassy-article/2024/02/24/Long-term-support-to-Ukraine/ [Accessed 24 Mar. 2024].
Government of Iceland (2024b). War in Ukraine. [online] Available at: https://www.government.is/topics/foreign-affairs/war-in-ukraine [Accessed 6 Mar. 2024].
Government Offices of Sweden (2023a). Humanitarian and civilian support to Ukraine. [online] Regeringskansliet. Available at: https://www.government.se/government-policy/swedens-support-to-ukraine/humanitarian-and-civilian-support-to-ukraine/.
Government Offices of Sweden (2023b). Joint Statement of the Nordic-Ukrainian Summit in Oslo. [online] Regeringskansliet. Available at: https://www.government.se/statements/2023/12/joint-statement-of-the-nordic-ukrainian-summit-in-oslo/ [Accessed 7 Mar. 2024].
Government Offices of Sweden (2023c). Military support to Ukraine. [online] Regeringskansliet. Available at: https://www.government.se/government-policy/swedens-support-to-ukraine/military-support-to-ukraine/.
Haynes, D. (2022). Britain and Allies Face ’1937 moment’ following Ukraine war, Head of Army Warns. [online] Sky News. Available at: https://news.sky.com/story/britain-and-allies-face-1937-moment-following-ukraine-war-head-of-army-to-warn-12641463 [Accessed 3 Mar. 2024].
Herning, L. (2024). Population. [online] Nordic Co-operation. Available at: https://www.norden.org/en/information/population [Accessed 24 Mar. 2024].
Hofverberg, E. (2024). Sweden: Government Activates Civilian Service Duty. [online] Library of Congress. Available at: https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2024-02-27/sweden-government-activates-civilian-service-duty/ [Accessed 3 Mar. 2024].
Holtsmark, S.G. (1994). Soviet strategic interests in Denmark: the Baltic Straits and Bornholm. [online] JSTOR. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep20313.4 [Accessed 11 Mar. 2024].
IMF (2023). GDP, current prices. [online] International Monetary Fund. Available at: https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/NGDPD@WEO/OEMDC/ADVEC/WEOWORLD [Accessed 10 Mar. 2024].
Janowski, K. (2023). Civilian Deaths in Ukraine War Top 10,000. [online] United Nations Ukraine. Available at: https://ukraine.un.org/en/253322-civilian-deaths-ukraine-war-top-10000-un-says.
Kelk, M.C. (2020). Great Interest in Cooperation between Nordic and Russian Partners. [online] Nordic Co-operation. Available at: https://www.norden.org/en/news/great-interest-cooperation-between-nordic-and-russian-partners [Accessed 3 Mar. 2024].
Khvostunova, O. (2022). Do Russians Really ‘Long for War’ in Ukraine? - Foreign Policy Research Institute. [online] Foreign Policy Research Institute. Available at: https://www.fpri.org/article/2022/03/do-russians-really-long-for-war-in-ukraine/ [Accessed 25 Feb. 2024].
Kral, D. and Fennessy, R. (2022). War in Ukraine Presents New Headwinds for the Nordics. [online] Oxford Economics. Available at: https://www.oxfordeconomics.com/resource/war-in-ukraine-presents-new-headwinds-for-the-nordics/ [Accessed 3 Mar. 2024].
Kusa, I. (2022). Russia-Ukraine War: Harbinger of a Global Shift A Perspective from Ukraine. Policy Perspectives, [online] 19(1), pp.7–12. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/48676292 [Accessed 25 Feb. 2024].
LePan, N. (2020). The Final Frontier: How Arctic Ice Melting Is Opening up Trade Opportunities. [online] World Economic Forum. Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/02/ice-melting-arctic-transport-route-industry/.
Mah, S. (2017). Iceland in NATO: an Unlikely yet Invaluable Partner. [online] NAOC. Available at: https://natoassociation.ca/iceland-in-nato-an-unlikely-yet-invaluable-partner/ [Accessed 3 Mar. 2024].
Mehedinţi, M. (2013). Diplomacy as a lifestyle. Nordic and Russian diplomats as links between their countries and the Romanian area (17th – 19th centuries). The Romanian Journal for Baltic and Nordic Studies, [online] 5(2), pp.145–181. doi:https://doi.org/10.53604/rjbns.v5i2_7.
Ministry for Foreign Affairs (2023). Swedish Government adopts new development assistance strategy for Ukraine. [online] Available at: https://www.government.se/press-releases/2023/07/swedish-government-adopts-new-development-assistance-strategy-for-ukraine/ [Accessed 11 Mar. 2024].
Ministry of Defence of Finland (2023). Russian Attack on Ukraine and Finland’s Support to Ukraine. [online] Puolustusministeriö. Available at: https://www.defmin.fi/en/topical/russian_attack_on_ukraine_and_finlands_support_to_ukraine.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (2023b). Denmark Supports Ukraine: Facts and Figures. [online] Available at: https://ukraine.um.dk/en/news/danish-support-for-ukraine [Accessed 24 Mar. 2024].
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (2023c). The Danish Government enters broad agreement to establish Ukraine Fund in 2023. [online] Available at: https://ukraine.um.dk/en/news/the-danish-government-enters-broad-agreement-to-establish-ukraine-fund-in-2023 [Accessed 11 Mar. 2024].
NATO (2022a). Finland and Sweden submit applications to join NATO. [online] NATO. Available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_195468.htm.
NATO (2022b). Founding Treaty. [online] NATO. Available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_67656.htm.
NATO (2023a). Finland Joins NATO as 31st Ally. [online] NATO. Available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_213448.htm.
NATO (2023b). Member countries. [online] NATO. Available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_52044.htm.
NATO (2024). Sweden Officially Joins NATO. [online] NATO. Available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_223446.htm.
Office of the President of the Republic of Finland (2023). Joint Statement of the Nordic-Ukrainian Summit in Helsinki on 3 May 2023. [online] Available at: https://www.presidentti.fi/en/news/joint-statement-of-the-nordic-ukrainian-summit-in-helsinki-on-3-may-2023 [Accessed 3 Mar. 2024].
Office of the Prime Minister (2023). Introduction and conclusion at the launch of the multi-year Nansen Support Programme for Ukraine. [online] Available at: https://www.regjeringen.no/en/aktuelt/launch-of-the-multi-year-nansen-support-programme-for-ukraine/id2963390/ [Accessed 11 Mar. 2024].
Persson, T. and Widmalm, S. (2023). Upon entering NATO: explaining defence willingness among Swedes. European Security, 33(1), pp.1–21. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/09662839.2023.2294078.
Pifer, S. (2022). The Russia-Ukraine war and its ramifications for Russia. [online] Brookings. Available at: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-russia-ukraine-war-and-its-ramifications-for-russia/ [Accessed 25 Feb. 2024].
Ramani, S. (2023). Putin’s War on Ukraine. Hurst Publishers.
Ruta, M. (2022). The Impact of the War in Ukraine on Global Trade and Investment Public Disclosure Authorized. [online] World Bank. Available at: https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099750104252216595/pdf/IDU0008eed66007300452c0beb208e8903183c39.pdf.
Suslov, M.D. (2014). ‘Crimea Is Ours!’ Russian popular geopolitics in the new media age. Eurasian Geography and Economics, 55(6), pp.588–609. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/15387216.2015.1038574.
Swedish Migration Agency (2024). Financial Support for Asylum Seekers. [online] Available at: https://www.migrationsverket.se/English/Private-individuals/Protection-and-asylum-in-Sweden/While-you-are-waiting-for-a-decision/Financial-support.html [Accessed 10 Mar. 2024].
The Operational Data Portal (2024). Situation Ukraine Refugee Situation. [online] UNHCR. Available at: https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/ukraine/location/680 [Accessed 9 Mar. 2024].
Torralba, C. (2023). How Sweden’s Membership Will Strengthen NATO: Sophisticated Subs and More Control over Baltic and Arctic. [online] EL PAÍS. Available at: https://english.elpais.com/international/2023-07-12/how-swedens-membership-will-strengthen-nato-sophisticated-subs-and-more-control-over-baltic-and-arctic.html [Accessed 3 Mar. 2024].
UNHCR (2024). Ukraine Refugee Crisis: Aid, Statistics and News. [online] UNHCR. Available at: https://www.unrefugees.org/emergencies/ukraine/ [Accessed 25 Feb. 2024].
US Mission to NATO (2022). Ukraine Defense Contact Group: Secretary of Defense Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Milley Press Avail. [online] U.S. Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Available at: https://nato.usmission.gov/ukraine-defense-contact-group-secretary-of-defense-austin-and-chairman-of-the-joint-chiefs-of-staff-gen-milley-press-avail/ [Accessed 11 Mar. 2024].
Vanags, A. (2011). Economic Integration and Cohesion in the Baltic Sea Region: A Critical Perspective from the Baltic States. Journal of Baltic Studies, [online] 42(1), pp.91–102. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/43213005 [Accessed 13 Mar. 2024].
Vlamis, K. (2022). Why is Russia attacking Ukraine? [online] Business Insider. Available at: https://www.businessinsider.com/why-russia-is-attacking-ukraine-putin-justification-for-invasion-2022-2 [Accessed 24 Mar. 2024].
Zeidan, A. (2024). Nordic Countries. [online] Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/place/Nordic-countries [Accessed 11 Mar. 2024].
Other articles of the issue
