| dc.description.abstract | As a NATO member and a neighbour of what is debatably the most assertive great power of our time, Norway has increasingly experienced Russia’s assertive foreign and security policy pursuit in the Arctic. As a small nation, Norway is dependent on other states’ adherence to the international rules-based order and the collective defence obligation of the Western security alliance. However, due to Moscow’s perception of being under protracted attack by the West, Russia is increasingly using a whole-of-government approach in its foreign and security policy objectives towards Norway. Russia does this by employing its diplomatic, informational, military, and economical means to apply pressure on Norway in new ways aspart of its New Generation War strategy of cross-domain coercion to achieve its regional ends.
This dissertation examines Russia’s ends, means and ways of its foreign and security policy related to Norway as a neighbour and NATO member. The research question that guides this examination is: ‘To what extent does Russia's security strategy challenge Norway’s interests and options in the Arctic?’ The dissertation has a literature-based approach to the research question by analysing and comparing primary sources such as Norwegian and Russian government policies, security strategies, reports, and statements. These sources are complemented by secondary non-governmental sources’ assessments of primary sources and ongoing international and regional security developments. The dissertation makes active use of news articles due to the media’s role as a mouthpiece for communicating Norwegian, and especially Russian, authorities’ interests. The dissertation finds that Russia is actively employing an NGW cross-domain coercion strategy to achieve its foreign and security policy objectives in relation to Norway, Overall, it is clear that Russia’s security strategy challenges Norwegian interests and options in the Arctic, however, not as much as Moscow would want. | |
