The commanders of the Nordic defense forces have brought up the idea of a joint NATO staff, from which the defense of the Nordic countries would be managed. A Norwegian writes about the initiative Klassekampen magazine.
The Nordic countries would like to be all in the same headquarters, i.e. in NATO’s joint operation management ladder. Currently, Norwegian and Icelandic operations are managed from Norfolk, USA, Finnish and Danish operations from Brunssum, Holland. Sweden is just waiting to become a member.
According to ‘s sources, the idea of a joint staff is also known in Finland. The Defense Forces does not want to take a position on the command structure publicly.
Norway lobbies Bodø
According to the Norwegian newspaper, the commanders have suggested that the Nordic countries want the same headquarters and even their own headquarters.
– We, the commanders of the Nordic defense forces, have proposed that we get a headquarters in Northern Europe. Norway has highlighted the Bodø headquarters as a possible location, the commander of the Norwegian Defense Forces Eirik Kristoffersen tells the magazine.
could not reach the Norwegian Defense Forces to comment further on the matter.
According to ‘s information, the idea is also familiar in Finland, but it has hardly been discussed at the ministerial level. The Norwegian newspaper refers to the discussions of the commanders of the defense forces.
Defense forces: Finland takes a stand as a state
NATO is currently reforming its command structure. Exact information on the matter is not public. There is a need for reform, among other things, because the joining of Finland and Sweden to NATO will bring much more power to the north, the use of which must be planned and managed.
The Norwegian Defense Forces does not want to comment on the interview with the commander of the Norwegian Defense Forces. The Defense Forces reminds that the commanders meet regularly and the countries cooperate closely.
– The Defense Forces prepares things in accordance with political guidance, Director of Communications Johan Tillander states.
The defense forces do not want to take a position on whether the idea of Bodø would work.
– We will not evaluate the changes in NATO’s command structure in public. Decisions regarding the command structure will be resolved in time by NATO’s joint decision-making, in the preparation of which Finland participates and takes a position as a state. As a defense force, we do not start speculating on the possible locations of command structures, says Tillander.
The researcher hopes that Finland will also say publicly what it wants
A researcher who knows NATO well Charly Salonius-Pasternak hopes that Finland would also say its wishes out loud.
– I’m afraid that Finns traditionally prepare themselves and don’t understand the significance of the pressure of public diplomacy. Secrets should not be published, Finland has a good reputation for this. But everyone else also does this in matters that are important to them, says leader Salonius-Pasternak from the Foreign Policy Institute.
From the beginning of the summer, Finland was included under the headquarters operating in Brunssum, Holland, because there were no other practical options. Europe north of the Baltic and the Alps is managed from Brunssum.
Finland itself is interested in the Norfolk headquarters operating in the United States. The United States is NATO’s strongest military power, and this provides an opportunity to cooperate with modern military power, military sources estimate. On the other hand, the leadership of the security policy thinks that siding with the United States would be politically wise.
There has been a discussion in Finland whether Finland would like a permanent NATO base in Finland. President of the United States Joe Biden during the visit, President Niinistö was asked about this. Niinistö left his answer open.
Pasternak: You can’t lead effectively from afar
Finland also sees that a joint arrangement may be needed to coordinate the forces of the Nordic countries. Finland is located so close to Russia that the location can exclude the design of more permanent structures here. However, the essential thing is that the defense works and resources are not wasted.
Lead researcher Charly Salonius-Pasternak says he understands why Bodø has emerged: the infrastructure is ready. An intermediate step could be relevant, because even if technically it could be conducted from a distance, physical conduction has its maximum distance.
– However, the Nordic countries know best how to conduct defense operations right here, the researcher says.
In the Nordic countries, soldiers have internalized how to work together with civil society.
– Military-civilian preparation, training and coordination – it simply cannot be effectively managed from Western Europe or North America, says Salonius-Pastenak.
Pasternak reminds that the commanders of the Nordic air forces announced that they would develop its air power to work seamlessly together.
– This has been at the forefront. And the headquarters must be located somewhere, perhaps in Bodø, Pasternak estimates.