The event is open to the press and all, but pre-registration is required.

The move of Finland and Sweden last year to join NATO may have been sudden for many, but in actuality there was already a debate in these countries whether to join the Alliance or not way ahead of the conflict itself. Before the war the Finnish state wanted to avoid any collision or rupture with Russia, and they felt that the partnership with NATO was sufficient, thus the voices calling for integration have been a minority. But from February 24, 2022, Helsinki deemed the so-called NATO option imperative, and Finns started to see their neighbor with one of the greatest nuclear arsenals of the world more unpredictable than ever before. The Finnish and Swedish army do form formidable power in themselves, but what does this closer cooperation with NATO brings to the geopolitical landscape of the Baltic Sea and the greater region? Will this move checkmate the Russian military in the North once and for all? We will investigate these questions, with our esteemed guest Henri Vanhanen security policy expert from the Finnish Institute of International Affairs.

Language: English

Program

5.00 – 5.45 PM Moderated discussion

  • Henri Vanhanen, Research Fellow, Finnish Institute of International Affairs
  • Moderator: Zalán Alkonyi, International Relations Coordinator, MCC

5.45 – 6.00 PM Q&A

HENRI VANHANEN is a foreign and security policy professional with experience in government affairs as well as research/think-tank work. He is currently a Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs and has previously worked at the National Coalition Party in the Parliament of Finland, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, the European Parliament, and the US Embassy in Helsinki. Mr. Vanhanen is specialized in foreign, security, and defense policy topics concerning Finland, Northern Europe, the Euro-Atlantic region, and Russia.

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