– We must assume that Russia will pose a very serious threat to us and our allies for the foreseeable future, says Pål Jonson in his speech at the People and Defense National Conference in Sälen.
Jonson further says that the US plays a decisive role for Europe’s security, but that the country is increasingly focusing on East Asia. At the same time, more and more Americans are questioning the country’s involvement abroad.
– Everything indicates that this trend will be reinforced with the incoming Trump administration. The inescapable conclusion is that we in Europe must take a much greater responsibility for the security of the European continent.
According to Jonson, defense efforts must increase and the pace of rearmament must be increased.
– But unfortunately, Europe is underperforming in several areas.
Wants to expand the civil obligation
The Minister for Civil Defense Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M) also emphasizes the serious situation and says that Swedish political decision-making and crisis management cannot be characterized by the principle of “wait and see”.
According to Bohlin, Sweden’s ability must now be built up in several ways. Among other things, the government wants to expand the civil obligation, which was reintroduced last year. Last year, around 300 people were trained in, for example, the rescue service, but they want the number to increase to nearly 3,000 “in just a couple of years”.
The government has also launched yet another fast track for civil duty with long basic training in the rescue service with recruitment from the muster base.
“The era of individualism is over”
The minister further says that building up the civil defense is not a task that can be left to a few zealots and calls for a joint commitment to defend society.
– Let me therefore be as clear as when I said last year that the war may come to us. The era of extreme individualism is over. The time ahead requires a bigger we. Protecting Sweden’s interests is a greater task than our own self-realization, says Bohlin.