Details: US says no to Sweden’s appeal

Details: US says no to Sweden’s appeal

Sweden and Finland would be welcomed by the 30 NATO members if the government chose to advance to the military alliance.

However, the United States will not provide any security guarantee to Sweden until the application process is one hundred percent complete and the country is a full member, Dagens Nyheter reports.

talks with the United States

The paper cites sources in the government office who are said to have insight into the work currently underway in preparation for a possible future application to NATO.

Colin Kahl, Secretary of State in the US Department of Defense, will be having a conversation with both the Swedish and Finnish governments these days.

Safety guarantees do not apply

– Clarify that USA security guarantees do not apply during the application process, but only apply to full membership, one source told DN, who is also getting the same message from elsewhere.

Planning meeting with the UK

Sweden has also been in talks with Great Britain about having some kind of security guarantee for the period when it applies for NATO membership.

According to Aftonbladet, ministers and ambassadors participated, and several meetings are scheduled to take place soon.

You want reassurance

With the UK in particular, the government is trying to get written confirmation of a security guarantee in case Sweden is attacked during the application process.

– Great Britain is one of the largest NATO countries and has deterrence capabilities. It confirms the newspaper’s source that there was also far-reaching cooperation between Sweden and Great Britain in the past.

US demands on the prime minister

From within the Social Democrats, demands have been made that Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson should obtain such a guarantee from US President Joe Biden that the country is now denying Sweden.

– The United States, or other countries with the ability, must clearly state that any attack on Sweden will be answered in Russia. Riksdag MP Hans Hof (S) told Aftonbladet on Wednesday that it is a prerequisite for Sweden to apply for membership.

‘No guarantees’

Hans Hof added:

– At worst, Russia could launch missiles at Stockholm. During the application period, of course, there will be great condemnation from the outside world, but no more, because there are no guarantees. Sweden must be protected during the application period.

Decision by May 22nd

The Social Democrats announced today at a press conference that they intend to hand over the results of the security analysis currently underway within the party by May 22 at the latest. Then the NATO announcement is expected to come.

– The dialogue must end on May 12 and after May 12 we will start our decision-making process, says party secretary Tobias Bowden.

Photo: NATO

Text: Editors