Former defence minister wants armament against Russia
“I believe it is time for the Swedish Armed Forces to adjust to a situation with higher level of threats”, former Swedish Minister of Defence Björn von Sydow writes in a newspaper comment. He believes Russia constitutes a growing threat to all of its neighbouring countries.
In his comment in newspaper Dagens Nyheter, the former defence minister gives a remarkably clear picture of his perception of today’s Russia. “It is around today’s and tomorrow’s Russia that the question about a threat picture must be discussed”, Mr. von Sydow writes. The distinguished former politician in the comment gives a strong signal to current legislators that it is time for the Swedish Armed Forces for step up investments in domestic defence. Mr. von Sydow, who has also served as speaker in the Swedish Parliament, underlines that concern in several of Russia’s neighbouring states is increasing after the recent conflict in Georgia and indicates that the three Baltic states eventually could face military confrontation with Russia. Although highlighting that Sweden’s line is stress on negotiations and diplomacy, he underlines that “the Swedish security policy also must include a considerable element of military defence in order to prevent and deter from military threats in our neigbourhood”. “We should give priority to the strengthening of our territorial defence”, Mr. von Sydow maintains. He especially highlights the need to keep strengthening the power of the Swedish Air Force and the country’s submarines. Von Sydow also uses strong words when describing the political domestic situation in Russia. “Today’s Russian state system is authoritarian and much recognized by the Russian voters. The Putin regime has both manipulated and voluntarily got the repeated support of the people. No counterweight to the regime is found in politics and economy. The media has not full freedom, especially the ones reaching the whole population, that is the TV-media. The Russians are misinformed about the surrounding world. There is a new strong nationalism in today’s Russia and a Soviet nostalgia about Russia’s outer borders and influence”, he writes. He also maintains that “the country’s undemocratic development together with its perception of humiliation sends no good signals to the surrounding world”.
