While waiting for NATO membership, in addition to Sweden’s own defense plan, there is also defense cooperation with Finland and a number of clearly expressed security measures from several European countries and the United States to rely on, confirms Chief of Defense Staff Michael Claesson.
“It is not that we are helpless or standing completely alone,” he tells TT.
“Ukraine-type aid”
However, an attack is not very likely until a parliamentary decision is made in Turkey in October, if Mike Winnerstig, head of the security policy unit at FOI, is to be believed.
The only conceivable enemy – Russia – is currently “very busy in Ukraine”. And if something happens against all odds, a number of countries – such as the USA but also England, Germany and a few more – see Sweden as basically part of NATO, which will therefore receive help in the event of a conflict, he says.
— The problem is that that help would probably be of the Ukrainian type, that they would send equipment but not soldiers. But the risk of an attack in the next few months is very small, continues Mike Winnerstig.
“Last step missing”
So how is Sweden preparing right now – in anticipation of membership? And how does a few months of additional waiting affect that work?
– We can state that in essence this means that we will not start the last steps in the integration measures that we need to do as a full member, says Chief of Defense Staff Michael Claesson.
He states that it is, for example, about connecting our IT systems and taking the necessary measures to be able to quickly get personnel out quickly to various NATO staffs.
“We carry out various types of preparations,” he continues.
— But the last step is missing.
Planning is affected
However, extending the process by a couple of months does not significantly affect Sweden, says FOI’s Mike Winnerstig.
— We continue as usual. We are invited as members and we have the right to participate in all NATO working groups except those related to nuclear weapons.
The military planning can continue – however, it is unclear what role Sweden can play in the new defense plans developed by NATO for the defense of Europe.
— Since we are not members yet, we cannot be an active part of that defense planning.