The Nordic Countries and Russia: A Contentious Collaboration

As the European Union weakens economically and institutionally, Europe's Nordic countries are considering seizing the economic opportunities presented by a comparatively stronger partner: Russia. Long tied to continental Europe economically, Nordic countries pledged to enhance economic cooperation with Russia, particularly over the Barents region, as recently as June 3-4, when leaders from the countries met in Kirkenes, Norway, for the Barents Summit.

Given the ongoing European crisis, Nordic countries increasingly see Russia as a good complement to Western European markets. However, Russia and the Nordic countries see each other as strategic threats — a shared view that will obstruct cooperation, especially as NATO, once Europe's security guarantor, deteriorates and forces Nordic countries to cooperate more among themselves.