Iceland must prepare for more than military threats

Iceland should prepare for a wide range of security threats without living in fear, Bryndís Haraldsdóttir writes in an opinion article published by mbl.is.

Haraldsdóttir says she is not warning that a Russian invasion of Iceland is imminent. Rather, she argues that security includes threats such as natural disasters, climate change, cyberattacks, sabotage and conflicts abroad, as well as efforts to undermine democracy, weaken trust and divide communities.

Security is not only about military forces and weapons, she writes. It also means protecting people and ensuring society can keep functioning under pressure.

Haraldsdóttir is attending a session of the Nordic Council in Helsinki, where discussions include civil protection, rescue services, health security, critical infrastructure, supply chains and the resilience of societies.

She points to Finland as a model, saying the country treats security as a shared responsibility of government, businesses, voluntary organisations and the public. Its approach, she writes, is to be prepared without living in constant fear.

Iceland has experience preparing for natural hazards, including volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and severe weather. But Haraldsdóttir says it must also prepare for threats it has less experience with. Cyberattacks could disrupt essential services, sabotage could cut communications, and supply chain disruptions could affect access to medicines, food and other necessities. Nordic cooperation is important, she says, because the countries are stronger together.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb told the session that Nordic countries should focus more on building their own strengths rather than concentrating only on risk management. Though they cannot control what threats arise or when, they can improve their ability to respond through strong infrastructure, preparedness, knowledge, cooperation and reliable alliances, Haraldsdóttir writes.

Stubb also highlighted trust, shared values and cooperation as strengths that cannot be measured in money or military power. Haraldsdóttir says these principles underpin the Nordic Council’s new strategy for societal security, which calls for shared political responsibility, stronger civil protection and rescue cooperation, safeguards for critical infrastructure and better joint responses to crises.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also addressed the session. His message, Haraldsdóttir writes, was that Russia seeks to achieve its aims not only through military force, but also by creating division and weakening solidarity in Europe, between Europe and the United States, and within societies.