Northern Europe and Ukraine: A Growing Alliance

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy recently highlighted the growing cooperation between Ukraine and Northern European countries. This alliance, often referred to as 'Ukraine plus Northern Europe, ' has been gaining momentum with more steps expected to increase pressure on Russia in the coming week. The Nordic countries, including Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland, have all shown strong support for Ukraine since Russia's invasion. Sweden and Finland joined NATO this year, with Stockholm citing Russia as a main security threat. While Finland and Norway share a border with Russia, Moscow has criticized NATO's expansion as a dangerous mistake that will prompt counter-measures.Last year, the Nordic nations pledged to support Ukraine "for as long as it takes" in its struggle against Russian forces. This support includes extensive military, economic, and humanitarian aid. In May, Zelenskiy mentioned that joint military assistance from these countries would amount to six billion euros this year, adding to the eleven billion euros already provided by the end of 2023. Zelenskiy emphasized the need to create problems for the aggressor, ensuring Russia loses the chance to disrupt global life. He mentioned upcoming discussions with the 'Nordics' to identify new fundamental steps that can increase pressure on Russia for the sake of honest diplomacy.