Ukraine Can Teach Us that We Need to Be Prepared for New Type of Heroism | Carl Henrik Fredriksson

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After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in the spring of 2022 Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership. A year later, Finland officially became a member of the North Atlantic Alliance, and in 2024, Sweden obtained the same status. Swedish writer and journalist Carl Henrik Fredriksson notes that Finland and Sweden have historically been closely linked, particularly on defense matters. As small states, Scandinavian countries rely on a global order meant to protect and guarantee their freedom and integrity. However, since 2014—following the annexation of Crimea and the start of the war in Ukraine—the post-Cold War global order no longer exists. Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine was the final catalyst for this shift. According to Fredriksson, Finland went through an internal transformation regarding NATO membership much faster than Sweden.

“When Finland makes this move, Sweden has no choice; it can no longer remain neutral, whether it wants to or not. Sweden’s decision to join NATO has less to do with Sweden itself and more to do with Finland,” says Fredriksson, Programme director of Debates on Europe. He recalls that over ten years ago, both countries and their societies responded weakly to military assessments, which revealed their inability to defend themselves for even a week in case of an attack.

Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk speaks with Carl Henrik Fredriksson about why Scandinavian countries have become some of Ukraine's strongest allies, how Ukrainian heroism is perceived in peaceful Europe, the skepticism in Northern Europe toward former Eastern Bloc countries, Swedish neutrality, and the role of utopia in the modern world.