Billström: Russian confrontation needs to be met

The government states in its new foreign declaration that Russia has greatly and for a long time deteriorated the security policy situation.

– Russia has chosen a confrontational approach to the EU and NATO. That confrontation needs to be met, says Foreign Minister Tobias Billström.

The government is today presenting an extra foreign declaration to the Riksdag due to Sweden becoming a NATO member on 7 March.

– It is an epoch-making event for our country and means a profound and immediate change in Sweden’s foreign and security policy, says Billström (M).

Sweden’s NATO membership is a direct consequence of this illegal, unprovoked and indefensible war of aggression, the declaration states.

In it, the government’s view of Russia’s actions is developed, including Russia’s goal of recreating an empire and violently overthrowing the European security order.

It points out that Russia has further lowered its threshold for the use of even massive military force, that the country is prepared to take very large risks and accept very large losses, not least in human life.

Extremely armed

In the declaration, it is assessed that Russia’s actions have greatly and for a long time to come worsened the security policy situation in Europe and in Sweden’s immediate area.

– Sweden, together with its partners and allies, must pursue a unified, long-term and strategic policy to counter Russia’s expansion of power and opportunities to do damage

That strategy includes continued support to Ukraine.

The government assesses that NATO membership raises the threshold for an armed conflict in our immediate area. Billström mentions that NATO is a defensive alliance and that Sweden’s solidarity alliance policy is stabilizing.

But he also states:

– We are prepared to defend our country, our population, our democracy, our freedom and our community of values ​​with armed force.

Not a reason for nuclear weapons

The question of the role of conscripts in NATO’s collective defense is being analyzed.

– The government seeks broad political agreement on the issue, says Billström.

According to him, the fact that Sweden can now take part in making decisions in NATO creates a new opportunity for Swedish diplomacy.

Sweden must work for international law, be a strong voice for arms control and disarmament and work to reduce the risk of nuclear weapons being used, the declaration states.

Billström also states that Sweden entered NATO without reservation, but adds that, in the same way as in other Nordic countries, there is no reason to have nuclear weapons, or permanent bases, on Swedish territory in peacetime.