Sweden's Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard expresses concern over the upcoming Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, highlighting the potential threat to Sweden if Russia wins the war in Ukraine. She emphasizes the importance of European unity and dialogue with the US, as Sweden prepares for possible future aggression.
Sweden Prepares for Potential Threat as Putin Eyes New Targets
Sweden Prepares for Potential Threat as Putin Eyes New Targets
Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard is "not particularly optimistic" about the planned summit between Trump and Putin in Alaska. If Russia wins the war, Sweden could be next in line.
"We are preparing for it," she stated on TV4's Nyhetsmorgon.
Friday, August 15, is the date when Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet to discuss Russia's war in Ukraine in Alaska.
Last week, the American president mentioned that he believes they are getting "very close" to a peace agreement. He also admitted that the exchange of territory is likely to be part of the proposed deal.
Neither Ukraine's president nor any other European leader is invited to the planned weekend meeting.
"Many Issues in the Air"
On Tuesday morning, Sweden's Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard appeared on TV4's Nyhetsmorgon to share her perspective.
"I am not particularly optimistic at all about the situation we have and the war that is now in its fourth year," Stenergard said on the program.
She stressed the importance of Europe uniting and maintaining close dialogue with the USA.
"We'll see, there are many issues in the air, so we'll see how the meeting ultimately shapes up. But the important thing here is that our interests are taken into account in the meeting, and that's why it's so important that we have close dialogue with the American administration," she said regarding the upcoming meeting.
The Threat to Sweden: "We Are Preparing"
Sweden's Prime Minister has previously stated that the outcome of this war will have significant implications for Europe's future. According to Stenergard, it is mainly about the signals it would send. If Russia wins the war, it shows that one can gain a lot by attacking a peaceful neighboring country, she argues. This, in turn, will give Russia more confidence and increase the risk of them continuing to attack other countries.
When the hosts asked if Sweden could be next, the Foreign Minister responded:
"We are preparing for it. Not in the coming years, but it all depends on whether we can demonstrate resilience. That's why we are building up in a historic way in Sweden and in other NATO alliances."