The Greens remain opposed to an independent Scotland joining NATO in the future despite the war in Ukraine, Patrick Harvie has said.
The party's co-leader insisted he wanted the country to "work in a cooperative way with our neighbours" but said it could be done without becoming a member of the military alliance.
Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine has forced countries across Europe to reassess their defence priorities.
Finland - which shares a land border with Russia - last week announced it would seek to join NATO along with neighbouring Sweden.
Green opposition to Nato membership is based on the party's rejection of nuclear weapons.
The SNP ditched its own opposition to the alliance a decade ago and is now in favour of an independent Scotland becoming a full member - but Nationalists are still committed to removing nukes from the Clyde.
Speaking to the Record, Harvie said did not see "any appetite" among Green members to change the party's position.
The MSP - who joined the Scottish Government last year under a power-sharing deal with the SNP and Greens - talked up instead the ability of the EU to impose economic sanctions.
"What I do see is a recognition that strategic cooperation is really important - that our peace and security depends on countries working together," he said.
"One of the interesting things about the current crisis is it's an attempt to show that coordinated concerted economic measures can be used as an alternative to military intervention.
"An institution like the EU is, in some ways, more critical than NATO in the immediate term.
"In the longer term, we all have to hope that the current threat will end - but we don't know that, so strategic cooperation for defence purposes is important as well.
"I would like to think that there is a way to achieve that level of cooperation between countries that are committed to democracy and peace and security - but without everyone having to be under a first strike nuclear policy.
"So I doubt very much my party is going to want to ditch it's policy on NATO - but I do think there is an appetite for discussion about how do you achieve strategic cooperation for peace-building in a way that will include countries that want to join, and countries that are not part of that."
"Finland and Sweden have worked closely with NATO even though they have not been members."
Harvie continued: "I would like to think everyone in an independent Scotland would want it to work in a cooperative way with our neighbours - especially to protect peace, and the economic and social conditions that give rise to peace.
"This isn't something that happens out of context - the climate emergency, for example, is one of the biggest strategic and security threats the planet faces.
"The pressure on resources that countries are going to be living with through the 21st century is potentially a deep cause of conflict throughout the world.
"Nuclear weapons don't keep us safe, they keep us in peril."
Sarah Boyack, Scottish Labour's spokeswoman on external affairs, said: "The Greens’ decision to double down on their anti-NATO position at this moment in time exposes a reckless disregard for Scotland’s national security.
"Not only is NATO crucial to protecting our own interests, but it is essential in supporting international solidarity and co-operation.
"The SNP must disavow these dangerous comments from their coalition partners.
"It speaks volumes about the SNP’s poor judgement and tunnel vision that they invited these extreme views into the heart of government."
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