The threat next door: How NATO’s newest members are preparing to defend against Russia

The House

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18d ago 48:47

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NATO’s secretary general has warned Russia could launch an attack on the alliance within the next five years. Talk to NATO’s two newest members, Finland and Sweden, and they’ll tell you preparation involves a lot more than just boosting military spending. As Canada seeks to strengthen ties with both countries, what can we learn from our newest NATO allies about preparing for the worst?

Supported by the R. James Travers Foreign Corresponding Fellowship, CBC's Emma Godmere travelled to the two Nordic countries to visit bomb shelters, the Russian border and military training grounds north of the Arctic Circle to see and hear how Finns and Swedes are steeling themselves for whatever the future may bring.

This episode features the voices of:

Elina Valtonen, Finland’s minister of foreign affairs
Viktoria Hjort Malmer, defence policy director at Sweden’s Ministry of Defence
Janne Kuusela, director general, defence policy department at Finland’s Ministry of Defence
Antti Virta, deputy commander, Southeast Finland Border Guard District
Samuel Siljanen, head of operations, Southeast Finland Border Guard District
Lt.-Col. Mikael Dalin, Swedish Army
Lt.-Col. Jukka Vuorisalmi, Finnish Army
Nina Järvenkylä, Helsinki City Rescue Department
Harri Mikkola, programme director for Finnish foreign policy, northern European security and NATO at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs
Niklas Granholm, deputy director of studies, Swedish Defence Research Agency
Sara Myrdal, director of international affairs, Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency
and residents of Lappeenranta, Rovaniemi, and Helsinki, Finland; and Stockholm, Sweden

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