Sweden concerned about Russia
-We do not know what Russia wants – that is the main problem, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt says. He is concerned about what he sees as a growing level of Russian nationalism and anti-western aggression.
The Swedish foreign minister says to Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten that Sweden has got a lesson from the recent conflict situation in the Caucasus. Mr. Bildt, a staunch critic of the Russian positions in the conflicts, still admits that it is too early to decide whether to step up national defence allocations.
-We are not afraid of Russia, he underlines. He also maintains that the Swedish defence remains in good shape and that last years’ national defence cuts have been less in Sweden that in other countries.
-The main problem, the minister says, is that we do not know what Russia wants.
Mr. Bildt has on several recent occasions uttered strong words in his description of Russia. To newspaper Svenska Dagbladet, the minister said that “we, and Russia, will long have to struggle with the consequenses of the attack on Georgia”.
