Russia and the Nordic region: challenges and prospects for cooperation between the EU and Russia

The article argues that it is in Russia’s interests that current security constellation in the Nordic region is maintained. Russia opposes NATO enlargement, but wants to ensure that internal stability of the region is preserved. Russia is also interested of joint technology projects with the Nordic countries that may server modernization of Russian economy. Yet, Russia’s attempts to project its power abroad may, in fact, undermine the status quo. It cannot be excluded that in the future inter-regional cooperation will be repoliticized in one form or another and further marginalized. Much depends on Russia’s internal development and whether the threat perceptions diverge even further apart.