Two top Swedish officials have warned the country should brace for war as it prepares for the first stages of joining Nato.
During a security conference in western Sweden over the weekend, the country’s Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin said action needed to be taken rapidly to mitigate against a looming threat from Russia, pointing to the developing situation in Ukraine as evidence that war could spread to other parts of Europe.
“Many have said it before me, but let me say it with the force of my office – there could be a war in Sweden,” he said, adding that awareness needed to be translated into practical action, such as investing more heavily on defence spending.
He added: “Such an effort can only be made quickly enough if the vast majority of people are aware of the situation and understand what is at stake.”
The immediate reaction to his comments was mixed, drawing criticism from former officials while military chiefs praised the call to arms.
Sweden's Commander-in-Chief Micael Byden speaks during the Society and Defense National Conference in Salen, Sweden— (EPA)
After a children’s national helpline, Bris, received an uptick in underage callers concerned about an imminent war, ex-prime minister Magdalena Andersson told Swedish TV that Mr Bohlin’s comments were exaggerated.
“It is not as if war is just outside the door,” she said. It was Ms Andersson who declared Sweden’s intention to join Nato in May 2022.
But Sweden’s military commander-in-chief Micael Byden lauded Mr Bohlin’s comments.
“On an individual level, you have to prepare yourself mentally,” he said, adding, “This is a very serious situation, and the clarity yesterday was unmistakable. It is now about moving from words and understanding to action.”
Experts have claimed that the tone of Mr Bohlin’s warnings reflect a frustration that too little is being done to build civil and military defence, more so than fears that a war is actually on the horizon.
And General Byden, who visited Ukraine’s eastern front a month ago, clarified that his ambition was not to panic the Swedish population but “get more people to think about their own situation and their own responsibilities”.
As Sweden prepares for Nato membership - Turkey still needs to be convinced to quit blocking Stockholm’s application over allegations they are harbouring Kurdish terrorists - conversations over defence spending have been renewed.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson pledged over the weekend to double the country’s military spending to two percent of the country’s GDP in line with Nato requirements.
But the latest defence bill promised to convene only three and half new brigades, equivalent to between 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers. Ukraine, by comparison, had 28 brigades when Russia launched its invasion in February 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who addressed the same defence conference the day after Mr Bohlin’s comments, called on the two countries to “get stronger together”. Sweden’s Foreign Minister, Tobias Billstrom, later said that their main foreign policy concern in the coming years will be the support of Ukraine.
