Sweden’s top officials have urged their people to prepare for a possible war, amid the rising tensions with Russia. The ministers made their statement at the multi-day Folk och Forsvar National Conference in Salen.
In his speech on Sunday, Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom hailed his country’s expected membership in the US-led NATO military bloc as “the biggest change in Swedish security policy in more than 200 years.”
Billstrom warned that “Russia will constitute a serious threat to the security of Sweden and Europe for the foreseeable future.” He admitted that Stockholm “must be realistic and assume – and be prepared for – a drawn-out confrontation”
Echoing his sentiment, Defense Minister Pal Jonson declared that “war can also come to us.” He claimed that Ukraine is acting as “Europe’s shield” during its conflict with Russia.
Last year, Sweden ditched its centuries-old policy of non-alignment in favor of joining NATO, citing Russia’s ongoing operation in the neighboring state, which was launched in February 2022. Sweden’s Nordic neighbor Finland has done the same, having joined NATO in April 2023.