Fortifications raised; General mobilization underway; An all-out war with Russia about to begin? PHOTO/VIDEO

"One could say that Finland is better prepared to defend itself than other frontline states. A reduction in U.S. involvement does not significantly affect its readiness," said Oin Mihel McNamara from the Finnish Institute of International Affairs.

The Finnish Air Force is expected to receive deliveries of U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets in the coming months, while the army is reportedly planning to acquire anti-personnel mines that would be ready for use if the threat of a Russian invasion became imminent.

Like most European militaries, the Finnish armed forces are still catching up in the field of drone warfare, but on the ground they possess one of the largest artillery arsenals in Europe.

One of Finland's greatest advantages is its geography. An army attacking from the east would have to advance through a country with few roads, dense forests, deep snow, and extremely low temperatures, with very little daylight in winter and almost no darkness during summer, making covert movement more difficult.

Poland

Since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Poland has positioned itself as NATO's leading frontline state, purchasing weapons at a pace few allies can match, increasing the number of troops, and investing billions of euros in new defense infrastructure along its borders with Belarus and the Kaliningrad region.

Poland is preparing for the possibility that war could reach it much sooner than many Western capitals assume, Politico writes, as reported by Blic.

Even before Russia's invasion, Poland had exceeded NATO's target of spending 2% of GDP on defense, and this year it plans to allocate as much as 4.8%. It is the largest country on NATO's eastern flank, and its military is now the third-largest in the alliance, behind only the United States and Turkey.

The U.S. maintains several thousand troops in Poland, which is considered an important deterrent against a possible Russian attack.

Poland's military buildup is part of a much broader deterrence and defense system along NATO's eastern border — a project known as the Eastern Flank Deterrence Line, which is expected to stretch from Finland to Romania.

Baltic states

Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are too small, too exposed, and too close to Russia and Belarus to afford giving up territory in exchange for gaining time.

They are connected to the rest of NATO through the Suwałki Corridor, which is only about 65 kilometers wide — the alliance's so-called "Achilles' heel" — raising concerns that they could be cut off in the event of a rapid attack.

According to the Swedish military's assessment, Gotland allows control over air and naval operations in the Baltic Sea, as well as the movement of reinforcements to the Baltic states.

"Whoever controls Gotland controls the Baltic Sea," said Colonel Andreas Gustafson, commander of Swedish ground forces on the island.

Amid growing concerns over Russia, the military presence on the island is being strengthened at an unprecedented pace, and since Sweden joined NATO, Gotland has regularly hosted military exercises.

While there is currently no immediate threat of a conventional military attack, Gustafson warns that the situation could change quickly in the event of a ceasefire or peace agreement in Ukraine, when Russia could redirect part of its forces toward Finland and the Baltic states.