NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told Nordic journalists after the NATO meeting on Friday that Sweden and Finland are the two countries that could most quickly become members of NATO.
When asked by a Swedish journalist about what would happen if Sweden were to be attacked by Russia, Stoltenberg answered, among other things:
– Sweden is a very close partner of NATO. We train together, and we have decided to further strengthen the exchange of information, intelligence and consultations. Sweden and Finland attended most ministerial meetings on the conflict in Ukraine.
Party on the rocker
But in the traditionally very neutral Sweden, it can now go against an application for NATO membership.
The controversial party Sverigedemokraterna can, with its 62 representatives, secure a majority in the Riksdag for an application. It reports Swedish Radio.
The party’s press officer, Oskar Cavalli-Bjørkmann, confirms that the case is now up for discussion.
– The party leadership has discussed the matter in recent days, and we will return to this in the near future, writes Cavalli-Bjørkmann in an e-mail to Dagens Nyheter, which has also been forwarded to NRK.
The Sweden Democrats were for many years untouchable for political opponents, but now have a significant political position in Sweden.
In both Sweden and Finland, there is now a debate about whether they should or should apply for membership in NATO.
The Finnish Social Democrats are clear that this is not a current policy, as the social security situation is in Europe no. But the debate is going.
– Not protected
A survey conducted by Demoscope for Aftonbladetshows that for the first time there is a majority in Sweden for NATO membership.
– Our own security situation is affected, and you can see what has happened to Ukraine that is not a member of NATO.
The top manager of Demoskop, Karin Nelsson, tells Aftonbladet.
When Stoltenberg met the media today, he emphasized that as long as Sweden and Finland are not members, they are not protected in the same way as NATO countries.
The NATO Pact states that Article 5 states that an attack on one member country is an attack on the entire NATO alliance.
– The unbreakable and absolute insurance guarantee does not apply to Sweden. Once the country joins NATO, Sweden will also be included in it, Stoltenberg said.
NEUTRAL: Sweden has a long tradition of being one of the most neutral countries in Europe. Finland, with its long border with Russia, has chosen to be cautious in its security policy. Countries that are colored with blue are members of NATO.
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Will share more with NATO
Jens Stoltenberg is clear that it is not up to him or NATO whether Sweden and Finland will or will become members.
– We respect it if Sweden and Finland choose to stay out, and we respect it if they choose to apply for membership. I say this to emphasize that such choices are free, sovereign states do themselves.
Stoltenberg said that this is precisely what President Putin does not respect.
– What Putin has said that if Sweden and Finland apply for membership in NATO, there will be military technical consequences. It is an undisguised threat that is just trying to deprive the sovereign states of the right to choose their own future, their own right to self-determination.
The Swedish Foreign Minister, Ann Linde, confirmed after the NATO meeting today that Sweden will share more information in the future.
“Increasing the exchange of information and coordinated exercises with NATO is the key in the current situation,” she wrote on Twitter.
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