This study delves into the security and defense debates that took place on the Swedish island of Gotland during the closing years of the cold war, from 1987 to 1989. Gotland’s unique geographical position as a border zone during this era, facing the Soviet Union´s across the Baltic Sea towards the Baltics, made it a focal point in discussions surrounding Sweden´s geographical stance. This paper analyzes the newspaper articles, political statements and letters to the editor to shed light on how local and political actors perceived Gotland´s defense capabilities and its strategic significance within the broader geographical context. The research methodology involves close reading and textual analysis, with focus on the intertextual aspect of the chosen newspaper articles. The study examines articles from the gotlandic newspaper Gotlands Allehanda and Gotlands Tidningar, both of which remain influential on Gotland to this day. By contextualizing the articles within the historical context of the Cold War, this research aims to provide a deeper understanding of Gotlands role as a border zone and how it was influenced by and influenced the geopolitical dynamics of the time.