Summary
This session opens the inaugural ISS Stockholm Civil Defense Forum, emphasizing the critical importance of modern civil defense amidst intertwined strategic, political, military, and industrial challenges. Sweden's Minister of Civil Defence, Karl Oskar Bolin, highlights Europe's past complacency, drawing crucial lessons from Ukraine's societal resilience, and outlines Sweden's urgent efforts to rebuild its total defense system, advocating for strong leadership, cross-sectoral coordination, and civil-military collaboration for credible deterrence.
Key Topics
5 key topics from Dr Bastian Giegerich at IISS Stockholm Civil Defence Forum | 21–22 April 2026. Thicker branches were mentioned more often in the talk.
Key Takeaways
- Prioritize top-level political leadership for civil defense.
- Implement horizontal policy coordination across all government sectors.
- Foster robust collaboration between civilian and military authorities.
- Invest significantly in national resilience and societal preparedness.
- Educate citizens on their individual role in total defense.
- Challenge complacency by considering the risk of war seriously.
Europe's Strategic Complacency
“You may not be interested in war, but war may nevertheless have an interest in you.”
Dr Bastian Giegerich
Director-General and Chief Executive•IISS