No Low-Hanging Fruits Among Russian Neighbors

Russia’s attack on Ukraine has raised concerns among European nations. As a result, they are striving to rapidly enhance their defensive capabilities.

The latest news concerns Sweden, which has ordered 44 new Leopard 2A8 tanks from Germany. In addition to purchasing new tanks, the Swedish Armed Forces have agreed to modernize approximately 70 tanks that have been in service since the 1990s.

These numbers can be compared to the Finnish Defence Forces’ equivalent arsenal. Finland’s inventory consists of 100 Leopard 2A6 and 139 Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks, as well as 102 CV9030 and 110 BMP2 infantry fighting vehicles. In other words, this new investment is a significant boost to the combat capability of the Nordic countries and NATO.

Another recent development involved Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, who proposed that the country allocate at least 5.5% of its GDP to defense in the future. Even with this increase, Lithuania would still spend less than five billion euros on its military preparations, compared to Russia’s defense budget of a staggering 122 billion euros.

Purchasing weapons is not enough; they must also be used effectively. That’s why it was welcome news that the Finnish Air Force is sending four F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets and 50 soldiers to Iceland to monitor its airspace. This allows Finland to develop its cooperation with NATO and ensure its capability to deploy a fighter detachment to an allied nation’s base if needed.

These actions have undoubtedly been noticed in Putin’s Russia. However, it remains unclear how they will respond. Will they resort to reckless countermeasures? Or will they finally acknowledge that Russia poses no real threat to NATO?

Unfortunately, it seems that the military objective of Vladimir Putin’s regime, even in Ukraine, is not to win the war, but to divert the public’s attention from the activities and failures of his administration. This is why it is absolutely crucial that neither Putin nor his successors see any so-called low-hanging fruit in neighboring countries—targets that might appear easy to seize.

Aiempia ajatuksia samasta aihepiiristä:
Will Finland Withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty?
Message from Finland's President to Vladimir Putin
Estonia is Arming its Military, but Does the Nation Have the Will to Defend Itself?

Nordic Police Announce: Spread of Gang Violence Cannot Be Stopped

The Nordic countries—Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland—have traditionally been seen as civilized, peaceful, and safe places to live. That’s why it was surprising to read that Nordic police organizations are struggling to keep up with the gang violence that started in Sweden.

According to a statement from these organizations, police forces are no longer able to respond to or prevent the spread of gang violence, which is becoming a problem across the entire Nordic region. This statement has been signed by police organizations from Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland.

It’s worth asking, then, who is responsible for letting the situation reach this point. This particularly concerns Sweden’s immigration policy, which has resulted in the formation of gangs and even dozens of areas where fire trucks and ambulances will not go without police protection.

In addition to identifying who is to blame, it’s essential to determine how these gangs can be brought under control despite police concerns. After all, it’s clear that criminals cannot be allowed to gain the upper hand in this matter, as this would mean that the Nordic countries, known for their equality, would become a mere memory of how politicians, who once aimed to improve the world, ended up destroying societies that provided the best quality of life in the world.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Managing Societal Change with a Growing Muslim Population
Sweden's Gang Crime Recruits Children – Is It Time for the EU to Reevaluate Asylum Policies?
Sweden's Rapid Demographic Shift Causes Challenges

Nordic Nations Unite Against the Growing Threat of Cross-Border Organized Crime

Organized crime, which primarily seeks financial gain through drug trafficking, has become an increasing problem in the Nordic countries. It no longer respects national borders but instead spreads from one country to another. For these reasons, during the Nordic Council meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland announced that they would strengthen their cooperation to combat organized crime.

According to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, "In Norway, we can see parts of these networks coming from Sweden in all of our police districts. We must fight them together. When crime begins to cross borders, the police, government, and judicial systems must also engage in cross-border cooperation."

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also highlighted the organized crime coming across the border from Sweden, stating, "We cannot accept this. We are working closely with Sweden to address this issue."

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo likewise described gang crime and cross-border crime as a serious problem. He cited the cooperation between Finnish and Swedish police in the northern Baltic region as a good example of cross-border collaboration.

The roots of Nordic gang crime are in Sweden—likely because Sweden has practiced an even more generous immigration policy than the other Nordic countries. Only time will tell, however, whether the Nordic countries will succeed in reversing this trend or whether they will gradually transform into more closed societies in which people's basic security is slowly eroded.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland’s Minister of Finance Believes Not All Cultures Are Equally Good
Immigration-Specific Violent Crime Increases as Humanitarian Immigration Continues
Sweden's Gang Crime Recruits Children – Is It Time for the EU to Reevaluate Asylum Policies?