Are Russian Narratives Amplified by PRC Media? A Case Study on Narratives Related to Sweden’s and Finland’s NATO Applications

In this report we conduct two distinct analyses, one focused on Sweden and the other on Finland, in examining Russian and Chinese narratives regarding their NATO membership bids. The separation of these two analyses is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the situation, acknowledging that each country’s bid may evoke unique narratives due to their different historical, geopolitical, and strategic contexts. While Sweden and Finland share certain similarities in their geopolitical positions, they also possess distinct characteristics and relationships with China and Russia, which could result in divergent narrative strategies from Russian and Chinese media.