Description
Small states face increasing security and defense challenges in the High North, as hybrid war with Russia intensifies and the security hegemon, the United States, wavers in its support of European defense. This paper explores how small states in the High North, such as Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Finland, navigate the evolving security environment marked by renewed Russian aggression. Hybrid warfare, such as the drones that shut down the airspace around several Scandinavian airports in September 2025 or potential threats to critical infrastructure, presents new defense challenges. This paper explores the question of how small states in the High North ensure the protection of bigger, more powerful allies? Drawing on the small state security literature and the broader tenets of alliance theory, the paper analyzes how small states in the high north leverage diplomatic agility, multilateral agreements, and niche military capabilities to enhance both regional security and their strategic value to the alliance hegemon. It argues that small states are not passive beneficiaries of security guarantees within security alliances, but actively contribute and engage in alliance operations to maintain their relevance while ensuring continued protection from alliance hegemons. This structured comparative study demonstrates the variation in efforts by small states in the High North to extend their contributions to regional security using a deliberate strategy of realignment and capability investment. Furthermore, this paper contributes to broader debates on the agency of small states in international relations, emphasizing their resilience and adaptability within European collective defense in an era of renewed geopolitical tensions.
