The state secretary from Sweden reminisced about when he had a stopover in Tromsø while on the way to Kirkenes nearly 32 years ago.
“We [representatives of Sweden, Norway, Russia, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and the EU Commission, ed. note] gathered there to establish the Barents Cooperation. The atmosphere was characterized by optimism and hope. Now, we are facing serious challenges, primarily Russia’s war against Ukraine,” says Hartelius.
But sitting still and wallowing in the gloom does not help, he says and adds that we should also direct our gaze toward positive tendencies, even if they are few.
“I would argue that Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO is such a positive trend because it increases security in the region. The enlargement of NATO will also bring investments into civil society as we need to build infrastructure – and connect Norway with Finland through Sweden. These are opportunities, this is growth.”
Hartelius also believes in the Swedish, Finnish, and Norwegian economies and the will to sufficiently invest in infrastructure, in addition to the booming defense budgets:
“All these countries are quite prosperous. We have to fulfill our obligations as NATO members. And if you ask someone in Sweden the question, ‘What about our own north?’, the answer 20 years ago would have been pessimistic. But now the region is flourishing: there are large investments in mining linked to Europe’s economic security and an emphasis on innovation. This gives reason to be an optimistic realist.”