Hoover InstitutionStanford University
Sweden: Rebuilding Total Defense

Join Carl-Oskar Bohlin, Sweden's Minister of Civil Defence, and Hoover Senior Fellow, H.R. McMaster, as they discuss Sweden's approach to civil defense, Nordic-Baltic security cooperation, and how Sweden is strengthening NATO to improve deterrence in the High North.

Bolin discusses how Sweden is rebuilding its total defense system after decades of dismantlement, drawing lessons from Ukraine to strengthen civil preparedness, cyber and information defenses, critical infrastructure, and supply-chain resilience. He also discusses Sweden’s efforts to make deterrence credible across the whole of society and how citizens, government agencies, and the private sector can contribute to national resilience and preparedness.

ABOUT THE GUEST SPEAKER

Carl-Oskar Bohlin has served as Sweden's Minister for Civil Defence since 2022. Bohlin has been a member of Sweden’s Parliament, the Riksdag, since 2010 and completed law courses at Uppsala University. As Minister for Civil Defence, he plays a central role in strengthening Sweden's resilience against both natural and man-made threats, and holds the distinction of being Sweden's first Minister for Civil Defence since 1947—reflecting the country's renewed and urgent emphasis on comprehensive national security.

Cast

H.R. McMaster

H.R. McMaster

Carl-Oskar Bohlin

Carl-Oskar Bohlin

Related

Articles

A Network Approach To Geopolitics

In international affairs, what a country does depends on its own interests and on what its partners do. This column uses data on political institutions and UN voting to recover the network of geopolitical influence. The network tracks major shifts in international politics since the 1960s and reveals three notions of power: autonomy, control, and the ability to shape the game. Across all countries, the US has the most autonomy but China has the most control. Domestic political change in the US or China moves other countries the most, as the network transmits it furthest.

November 3, 2026

Videos

China’s Anxieties in Latin America

Despite China's growing economic influence in Latin America, Beijing faces challenges it cannot easily control, from the activities of Chinese nationals abroad to costly missteps by its companies. These vulnerabilities reveal an overlooked opportunity for the United States to strengthen its position in the region through diplomacy, security cooperation, and deeper knowledge of China.

October 26, 2026

Articles

New Ways To Defang Transnational Financial Repression

The United States must supply the leadership to curb the world’s bad actors, protect victims, and defend an indispensable system.

October 30, 2026