The Role of Norway and Sweden in US and NATO Military-Strategic Planning in the Arctic (mid-2020s)

Against the backdrop of Stockholm’s official accession to NATO (March 2024), the significance of Sweden and Norway’s power for the plans of the community of “Western democracies” is examined. Methodologically, the theory of armed forces construction (for the Scandinavian states, NATO as an institution) and the concepts of securitization are used. The paper determines why the Alliance’s forward deployment force network does not de jure extend to Norway, even though Norway consistently contributes to the formation of the bloc’s permanent groups. The article explores a set of measures aimed at building up forces in the provinces of Troms and Finnmark as a “springboard” for Western strategic penetration to the Arctic. The evolution of the US presence in northern Norway is shown, with a focus on the 2021 and 2024 agreements on access to the Kingdom’s bases. The content and consequences of decisions to significantly increase Norway’s ground forces are examined. The goals and characteristics of Sweden’s future presence in Finnish Lapland are revealed. It is proven that the United States is the key beneficiary of the measures under consideration. Relying on the increased military resources of its Scandinavian partners, the White House has been strengthening the basis for the penetration to the Arctic Ocean (from Europe), increasing the effectiveness of “containment” of the Russian Federation. The conclusion is drawn that the West has a dangerous desire to catch up with and surpass the Russian Federation in terms of the number of Arctic troops.