NATO’s northern frontline: US and allies drill for war on strategic Swedish island

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As dawn broke over the Baltic Sea, US Marines stationed on Sweden’s Gotland island fired a volley of dummy rockets into open waters — a military drill with geopolitical resonance. Just 200 miles from Russia’s Kaliningrad, the message was clear: Despite President Trump’s harsh criticism of NATO, the US military isn’t backing down from defending Europe’s northern frontier, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The exercise was part of a three-week war game involving American, British, Nordic and Baltic forces. Their goal was to prepare for a Russian offensive and reinforce the integration of new NATO members, Finland and Sweden, into the alliance. In drills across Gotland, Norway and Finland, troops tested advanced battlefield coordination, including blood resupply by drones and paratrooper landings.

Gotland’s rising military role

Once demilitarised, Gotland is now the focal point of Sweden’s rearmament efforts. The island’s location offers strategic dominance over air and sea routes in the Baltic. Former defence officials say Russia would likely target Gotland in the opening moments of any conflict. “It’s the key military strategic location in the Baltic,” said Stefan Lundqvist of the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies.

Sweden has turned the island into a forward base for NATO logistics and firepower. Hundreds of conscripts rotate through Gotland annually, with a wartime projection of 4,500 troops. For locals drawn by the island’s medieval charm and quiet coastlines, the return of military life — and the roar of artillery — has been jarring.

Trump’s NATO policy vs Pentagon reality

While President Trump has questioned NATO’s relevance and pushed European allies to bear more of the defence burden, US military commanders say their instructions remain unchanged. “My orders haven’t changed,” said Brig. Gen. Andrew Saslav of US Army Europe. “Political messaging isn’t orders.”

Still, the alliance faces strain. Trump’s freeze on new US weapons deliveries to Ukraine, including the Himars rocket system that helped turn the tide against Russian forces, has raised concerns in allied capitals. Yet military planners continue to fortify the alliance’s northern flank with exercises that simulate real-world scenarios, including coordination of medical evacuations across multiple nations.

Nordic NATO: from buffer zone to frontline

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Arctic and Baltics have taken centrestage in NATO strategy. Finland now shares an 800-mile border with Russia. Norway sits near Russia’s submarine fleet on the Kola Peninsula. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania contribute intelligence and have long warned of Russian aggression.

“The Nordic NATO enlargement has made it easier to reinforce the Baltics,” said Kristian Atland of Norway’s defence research agency.

Swedish defence chief Carl-Johan Edström added that deepening US-Nordic ties “is not about creating a club inside the club,” but strengthening NATO as a whole.

As paratroopers landed in Gotland and rockets flew from mobile systems, NATO’s message to Moscow was unmistakable: even amid political uncertainty, its frontline remains armed and ready.