Defense Minister: Sweden does not rule out sending troops to Ukraine

Sweden does not exclude the possibility of deploying its troops to Ukraine to strengthen the country's defense capabilities, Swedish Defense Minister Paul Johnson said in an interview with the Kyiv Independent published on December 18, reports UNN. 

Asked whether Sweden might engage in a more direct physical presence in Ukraine amid talk of a possible deployment of peacekeepers to monitor a possible ceasefire, Jonsson said he “does not rule out the possibility.

The minister noted that Sweden already has a physical presence in Ukraine through its defense procurement agency, which works with the Ukrainian government to purchase military equipment.

Jonsson also said that Sweden does not rule out the possibility of military exercises on the territory of Ukraine.

Jonsson emphasized the need to strengthen Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression and said he supported the extension of the mandate of the EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM), which coordinates military support for Kyiv.

He called for urgent measures to ensure peace in Ukraine by 2025, calling the situation “absolutely dire and extremely important.” “The stakes in this war are enormous for the Ukrainian people and for the whole of Europe,” he said.

Addendum

As of October, Sweden's military assistance to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion has already reached about $4.4 billion.

Let's add

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced positive developments in discussions about the possibility of deploying a peacekeeping contingent to Ukraine. According to him, this issue was raised during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Reuters cited its sources as saying that European countries are discussing the possibility of sending up to 100,000 troopsto Ukraine. The proposal will be considered in case of a ceasefire or a peace agreement .