NEWS Pax Nordica 2026 gathered researchers, policymakers and practitioners in Umeå to discuss total defence and host nation support in northern regions. With perspectives from Ukraine and across the Nordic countries, the forum highlighted how cooperation, preparedness and societal resilience are central to managing crises and strengthening security in an evolving geopolitical landscape.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has made the concept of total defence tangible in a new way. It shows how closely intertwined civil and military resilience really are, and why cooperation across sectors and borders is essential.
The event opened with remarks by Tora Holmberg, Vice-Chancellor of Umeå University, setting the stage for a programme that connected local, regional and international perspectives. A central theme throughout the day was how experiences from Ukraine can inform preparedness and resilience in the Nordic region.
Pax Nordica 2026 brought together a broad range of voices to examine how total defence can be developed in northern contexts, with a particular focus on host-nation support within the NATO framework. The annual forum, organised by the Department of Political Science at Umeå University together with regional and national partners, has since 1994 provided a platform for dialogue on security and sustainability in Europe’s far north.
Early in the programme, Hans Lindberg, City Councillor in Umeå, set the tone by pointing to the growing strategic importance of the Arctic region. He highlighted how northern Sweden is becoming increasingly central for logistics, infrastructure and mobility in a changing security landscape—placing new demands on preparedness and coordination across sectors and borders.
This framing underscored a key question for the day: how host nation support can function in practice in a northern context, where distances are vast, infrastructure is critical, and civil and military needs are closely intertwined.
Vitalii Bielobrov, Deputy Mayor of Kherson, offered a first-hand account of life under occupation and the challenges of recovery following de-occupation. His testimony illustrated both the human cost of war and the importance of maintaining societal functions under extreme conditions.
“Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has made the concept of total defence tangible in a new way. It shows how closely intertwined civil and military resilience really are, and why cooperation across sectors and borders is essential,” says Niklas Eklund, Professor of Political Science at Umeå University, Arctic Six Chair and organiser of Pax Nordica.
This perspective was echoed by several speakers who emphasised the role of civil society and local communities in building resilience. Veronica Strandh, Associate Professor in Political Science, highlighted how social cohesion and everyday relationships form the foundation of a society’s capacity to respond to crisis. Caroline Helmersson from Region Västerbotten provided a concrete example through the region’s work on ensuring healthcare systems can operate in both peace and wartime.
From a military standpoint, Magnus Ståhl, Commander of Sweden’s Northern Military Region, underlined that total defence begins long before a crisis occurs. He pointed to the importance of functioning, attractive societies in the north and stressed that international cooperation, particularly in light of Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership, is essential for effective defence planning.
Municipal perspectives further reinforced the importance of coordination across levels of governance. Hans Lindberg, City Councillor in Umeå, highlighted the need for stronger cross-border collaboration in the Arctic region. Toralf Heimdal, from Bardu municipality in Norway, illustrated how even smaller municipalities play a significant role, including through cooperation with international military actors.
Together, the contributions pointed to a shared conclusion: that total defence relies on well-prepared societies in which civil and military actors work seamlessly together. This includes a clear division of responsibilities, access to critical resources, and established cooperation at the local, regional, and national levels in peacetime.
As geopolitical tensions continue to shape the Arctic and northern Europe, Pax Nordica 2026 underscored the strategic importance of building resilient societies grounded in cooperation, preparedness and trust. The discussions also highlighted the need for continued dialogue across sectors and borders to ensure that total defence systems are both robust and adaptable in the face of future challenges.
