Taking place in Helsinki from October 2nd to 4th, the fifth Helsinki Security Forum focused on the theme of “Layers of Security,” against the backdrop of Europe simultaneously facing the Ukraine conflict and an increasingly complex security environment.
According to the delegates, traditional security guarantees are no longer sufficient to cope with a world where geopolitical competition, technology, economics, energy, and climate change all impact European security.
One of the key messages at the forum was that the lines between war and peace in Europe are becoming increasingly blurred.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb argued that Europe should not view cyberattacks, sabotage, and information activities as isolated incidents. He suggested these could be links in a broader campaign to destabilize European societies.
"These are not isolated incidents but a campaign," Stubb said, adding that Europe needs to increase its accountability, resilience, and the appropriate consequences for such actions.
From Moldova's perspective, President Maia Sandu offers a more concrete picture of how non- military pressures can impact a nation.
According to Sandu, Moldova has faced numerous non-traditional security threats, such as election interference, cyberattacks, disinformation, energy pressure, and airspace violations.
She stated that one of Moldova's effective measures is to publicly disclose interference activities with the coordination of the media, while mobilizing various state agencies to address illegal funding and activities that influence elections.
The issues raised in Helsinki reveal a notable shift in the approach to security. Protecting a nation now means not only safeguarding its borders and military facilities, but also protecting its political system, critical infrastructure, information space, and the functioning of society from shocks.
That doesn't mean military strength has become less important. On the contrary, the experience from Ukraine shows that defense capabilities remain a fundamental layer of protection, but they cannot stand alone.
Speaking online at the morning session on October 3, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that a nation seeking security must first and foremost possess internal strength, including a modern military, a defense industry, and the ability to adapt to new threats.
He also mentioned factors often considered civilian, such as distributed energy infrastructure, the ability to protect essential facilities, and societal resilience. According to Zelensky, these capabilities are directly related to a nation's ability to function in wartime conditions.
Ukraine also wants to translate some of its battlefield experience into capabilities for cooperation with partners. Zelensky emphasized that sharing technology, expertise in drones, and lessons learned from the war could become part of broader security cooperation between Ukraine and European countries.
This approach aligns with the central message of the Helsinki Security Forum 2026. According to the Forum's official report, in the context of rapidly changing technology, escalating climate change, and a deteriorating global security environment, Europe needs to abandon the mindset of relying on a "single solution" and build resilience on multiple levels.
This year's Helsinki Security Forum therefore expanded its agenda from traditional defense to technological sovereignty , defense innovation, energy and climate security, nuclear deterrence, transatlantic relations, and Russia's role in the European security environment.
A notable takeaway from Helsinki is that the concept of "security" is increasingly becoming a societal concern. The military, government , technology companies, energy systems, critical infrastructure, media, and citizens can all become links in a nation's defense capabilities.
In an environment where pressure tactics can occur even before a military conflict erupts, a cyberattack, information campaign, power disruption, or sabotage of infrastructure can also have significant security impacts.
That is also why the Helsinki Security Forum 2026 addresses the issue of “layers of security” instead of just talking about a single layer of defense. For Europe, the challenge ahead is to build a sufficiently strong military force while simultaneously creating societies resilient enough to withstand new “fronts” that may emerge anywhere.
Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/nhung-lop-an-ninh-moi-cua-chau-au-1759388.html
