Deepened defence cooperation between Sweden and Finland in a new geopolitical environment

FOLLOW THE DISCUSSION on the 30th of November online here

Note: change of Program! Please, find the updated and final program below.

Finland and Sweden are each other’s most important partners. Cooperation on foreign and security policy between the countries is extensive and there is great potential for development in these areas. The cooperation creates possibilities for joint efforts under any circumstances in conflict and in war as well.

Even though Sweden as well as Finland have chosen non-alliance as the platform for their security, these two countries have highly integrated partnerships with NATO, and the possibility to join the defence alliance is being discussed in both countries. The British are in search of a post-Brexit role in European defence, and the new administration in Washington is looking for its place in the new transatlantic relationships.

What do the new geopolitical circumstances entail for Swedish-Finnish defence cooperation?

Programme:

Moderator Mr Stefan Wallin, senior advisor, former Minister of Defence

10:00 Welcome

Ms Gunvor Kronman, CEO Hanaholmen

10:10 Current hybrid threats

Mr Patrik Oksanen, senior fellow at Stockholm Free World Forum

Ms Teija Tiilikainen, Director, European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats

10:50 Keynote (pre-recorded)

Mr Jim Townsend, adjunct senior fellow, CNAS Transatlantic Security Program, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense

11:05 Mr David Hogan–Hern, Director, Euro-Atlantic Security Policy Unit, Ministry of Defence, UK

11:20 Mr Jörg See, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning, NATO

11:35 Discussion

12:00 Lunch break

12:30 Researcher dialogue

Mr Henrik Meinander, Professor, Helsinki University

Mr Tomas Ries, Associate Professor, Swedish Defence University

Mr Charly Salonius-Pasternak, Leading Researcher, Finnish Institute of International Affairs

Ms Hanna Smith, Research Director, Hybrid CoE

Ms Anna Wieslander, Director for Northern Europe of Atlantic Council, Secretary General Swedish Defence Association

13:15 Defence cooperation in the light of The Swedish Defence Act of 2020 and The Finnish Government’s Defence Report 2021

Mr Pål Jonson, Chair, the Swedish Committee on Defence

Mr Ilkka Kanerva, Chair, the Finnish Committee on Defence

Mr ClasGöran Carlsson, Member, the Swedish Committee on Defence

Mr Jari Ronkainen, Vice Chair, the Finnish Committee on Defence

14:00 Seminar ends

About the event

Date: Tuesday 30.11.2021
10.00 – 14.00 (Finnish time)
9.00 – 13.00 (Swedish time)
Location: Hanasaari/Hanaholmen
Language: Finnish, Swedish, English
Additional information: Project Manager Tina Räihä, tina.raiha@hanaholmen.fi
Organizers: The Swedish-Finnish Cultural Foundation and Hanaholmen.