Swedish officials warned their citizens to be readier than ever in case of war and that no one can guarantee peace anymore.
Minister for Civil Defence of Sweden Carl-Oskar Bohlin said that for a nation that has enjoyed peace as a pleasant companion for many years, the idea that it is an immovable constant is no longer realistic.
“There is a threat of war and all citizens must act to strengthen the country’s defenses,” said the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces Micael Byden.
According to Bohlin, the situation is very serious. He expressed concern that the modernization of civil defense is not proceeding quickly enough.
Swedish officials stressed that the country could face war, and all Swedes must be prepared.
“Now it’s about moving from words and understanding to actions,” Byden emphasized.
He notes that in recent years, much has been done to strengthen Sweden’s security through significant investments in defense.
In May 2022, Sweden and Finland, known for their neutrality, announced that they would join NATO in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier that year.
While Finland officially joined the alliance in April 2023, Sweden’s bid to join hit a roadblock when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized the nation’s alleged inaction against Islamophobia, calling it a “red line.” Hungary has also expressed concerns about Sweden’s membership.
Erdogan later gave his approval for Sweden’s NATO accession, though the Turkish Grand National Assembly still needs to give it the green light. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said late last year that his country was in no hurry to approve Sweden’s bid.
However, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told German media last week that Sweden has made all the necessary concessions, predicting that the country would be approved as NATO’s 32nd member by the next summit, scheduled for July in Washington.
Sweden’s entry into the alliance would boost NATO’s regional influence, giving all five Nordic nations near-total control of the “NATO lake,” a reference to the Baltic Sea’s strategic importance. Military air power delivered to NATO on behalf of Sweden would be a challenge to Russian forces at sea, experts said.
Now, nearly two years into the Russia-Ukraine conflict and amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Swedish citizens are being asked to be more cautious and prepared than ever.
“For a nation that has had peace as a comfortable companion for almost 210 years, the idea that it is an immovable constant is conveniently close at hand,” Swedish Civil Defense Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin said Sunday during an annual conference in Salen, a village on the country’s east side.
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