From burden-sharing to signalling : Nordic naval contributions and small-state agency in European maritime security

Abstract

This research paper explores how small states utilise naval contributions to navigate a shifting European security landscape. By examining the Scandinavian cases of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, it analyses their participation in maritime operations within the European Union’s (EU) Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), NATO, and the United States (US)-led coalitions. While the existing literature has examined Nordic security and defence policies and maritime traditions, this study offers a comparative, maritime-centric perspective on how these states implement naval engagement across overlapping institutional frameworks. It proposes that Nordic naval contributions are best seen as strategic tools for alignment, signalling their positions within competing security frameworks rather than merely sharing burdens. To explore these dynamics, it characterises naval contributions along two dimensions: their functional roles, covering operational, institutional, and symbolic dimensions, and their alignment strategies, involving initiatives from the EU, NATO, or the US. Using empirical evidence from maritime security operations such as Atalanta, Sophia, Irini, Aspides, NATO’s Standing Maritime Groups, and US missions, the analysis reveals that variation in contributions mirrors different approaches to managing dependence and enhancing agency. While Denmark is a “super-Atlanticist” and Norway concentrates on Atlantic frameworks, Finland and Sweden exhibit more hybrid trajectories shaped by their evolving relations with NATO following their accession in 2023 and 2024, respectively.