Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Bilstrom said that NATO countries should create more strategic difficulties for Russia to put an end to its irresponsible actions. This was reported by Euractiv, according to UNN.
Details
According to the Swedish minister, the priority should be to stop Russia's aggression against Ukraine, where NATO is not doing enough.
We have to understand that Russia is a neighbor that behaves irresponsibly, that threatens the world with a nuclear threat and the idea of recreating its former empire at the expense of independent sovereign states... We must put an end to this. We must create more strategic difficulties for Russia,
The publication notes that his comments partially echo recent statements by French President Emmanuel Macron, who called for "strategic uncertainty" regarding Russia and hinted at the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine, which has caused controversy among Western allies.
Bylström believes that the Paris idea would go too far for Sweden, which joined NATO only in March.
"As for the French proposal to train Ukrainian personnel on Ukrainian soil, this is not discussed for Sweden," the Swedish Foreign Minister said, hinting that Stockholm considers the debate over Macron's comments to be untimely.
He also emphasized that "not all countries understand how urgent it is to act" in stopping Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
"These countries have to realize that there is a conflict and that we have to deal with it. NATO is not doing enough for Ukraine," said Bylstrom, adding that the Ukrainian Armed Forces need "more of almost everything.
According to him, providing Ukraine with more military equipment "is not a matter of industrial potential" but "comes down to political leadership and political will.
Recall
Sweden intends to support the Czech initiative to supply artillery shells to Ukraine with 30 million euros.