4 THE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT OF FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY The operating environment of foreign and security policy, both in the immediate vicinity of Finland as well as globally, is in an intense state of flux. Nation states and other actors are increasingly interlinked and interdependent. Many drivers of change in our operating environment are opening opportunities for advancing our international objectives. The recent changes in our operating environment have also created new threats and instability. From the European perspective the international security situation has deteriorated in recent years. The number and range of significant international actors is growing continuously. There is a constant ebb and flow in their relative position. Respect for universal values is diminishing. People are becoming more aware of problems that affect the whole world. New global commitments have been made to solve questions involving sustainable development and climate policy. However, in relation to the expectations the capabilities of international institutions are often more limited. There are pressures concerning compliance with the rules-based international order. Changes in the foreign and security policy environment also strongly impact the way Finland develops internally. They bring new uncertainties to internal security, testing the overall resilience of society. Rapid and unpredictable changes are the hallmark of Finland’s transformed foreign and security policy environment. Foreign and security policy goal-setting, decision-making and exerting influence depend on knowledge about the operating environment. It is important to continually gather and analyse information on the variables in the operating environment as well as the subsequent prospects and threats. There must be a readiness to adjust activities and, if necessary, the priorities of foreign and security policy based on new information and analysis. The most important external variables in Finland’s foreign and security policy environment are global trends, political and security development in areas important to Finland, actors in foreign and security policy as well as international rules. 8