Analysing Deterrence Dynamics in the High North

Dr Kristin Ven Bruusgaard examines deterrence in the High North amid renewed great power competition.

Speaker: Dr Kristin Ven Bruusgaard

Renewed great power competition and NATO’s enhanced focus on deterrence and defence have elevated the strategic significance of the High North. As the Alliance refines its posture across allied territory, understanding the unique dynamics of this sub-region has become essential.

Join us for a seminar featuring Dr Kristin Ven Bruusgaard, who will present findings from a research project examining the distinct deterrence interactions unfolding in the High North. This region represents a complex intersection of capabilities and strategic considerations: Russia’s secure second-strike forces coexist alongside NATO’s expanding regional warfighting capabilities; U.S. damage-limitation efforts interact with Russian regional military power; and Northern European states’ territorial defence imperatives confront Russian attempts both to deter and to ensure survivability in the event of strategic nuclear conflict.

Dr Bruusgaard will explore the deterrence patterns produced by these overlapping dynamics and assess how key actors may need to adapt their strategies amid renewed great power competition. The seminar will offer valuable insights for policymakers, analysts, and scholars seeking to understand the evolving strategic environment in the High North.

This event is open to the public and free to attend both in-person and online (via Zoom). In-person spaces are limited, so register now to secure your spot!

About the speakers

Dr Kristin Ven Bruusgaard is the Director of the Norwegian Intelligence School. She previously served as Deputy Leader of the 2021 Norwegian Government Defense Commission, advising on long-term national defense policy. Her prior appointments include Postdoctoral Fellow (Assistant Professor) of Political Science at the University of Oslo; Nuclear Security Postdoctoral Fellow and Stanton Nuclear Security Predoctoral Fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC), Stanford University; Research Fellow at the Norwegian Institute for Defense Studies (IFS); and senior security policy analyst in the Norwegian Armed Forces.

Her research examines Soviet and Russian nuclear strategy, nuclear and non-nuclear deterrence, and crisis and deterrence dynamics in Europe and the Arctic/High North. She holds a Ph.D. in Defence Studies from King’s College London and an MA in Security Studies from Georgetown University.

About the Deterrence Challenges in the High North Series

This series led by Professor Mats Berdal and Professor Målfrid Braut-Hegghammer at King’s aims to build capacity among NATO allies and generate new insights into the deterrence challenges facing the High North in the coming decade.

Through a series of high-level seminars, we bring together leading experts from the US, UK and Nordic NATO countries to exchange perspectives, foster collaboration, and develop evidence-based approaches to today’s most pressing strategic questions.