The Swedish Foreign Minister has criticised some NATO members for not understanding the “urgency of stopping Russia.”
Sweden is preparing for conflict with Russia and are to send troops to Latvia to bolster security over the “obvious” threat from Moscow.
Swedish troops will be stationed in Latvia along with other NATO troops as Sweden will have to live with the threat from Russia “for decades.”
Ambassador Axel Wernhoff told Politico, “At this stage, we have no illusions about Russia.
The NATO Strategic Concept defines Russia very clearly as the obvious military threat. I think we will have to live with this for decades.”
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Foreign Minister Tobias Billström told Euractiv, “We have to understand that Russia is a neighbour that is behaving irresponsibly, which is threatening the world with irresponsible nuclear threats and the idea of recreating its former empire at the expense of independent sovereign states.
Billström accused some NATO countries for not understanding that “the conflict is here and that we need to deal with it.”
He said, “We have to understand that Russia is a neighbour that is behaving irresponsibly, which is threatening the world with irresponsible nuclear threats and the idea of recreating its former empire at the expense of independent sovereign states… We have to put an end to that.”
The Foreign Minister said to stop Russia “we first of all have to stop the aggression against Ukraine.
“Not all countries understand the sense of urgency to act that there is.
“NATO is not doing enough for Ukraine.”
On Monday two Baltic leaders are urging NATO members that there is a need for a “serious discussion about conscription” as war between Russia and the West could be looking more likely.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said that now is the time for NATO members to speed up their defence spending of their respective GDP and prepare for war.
The Latvian President said that there needs to be mandatory conscription for all NATO countries which will provide the much-needed boost for increasing the numbers of soldiers across the alliance.
Speaking to The Financial Times Rinkevics said, “There is a need for serious discussion about conscription.”
The Latvian President added, “Nobody wants to fight. But the problem is nobody wants to be invaded as well. And nobody wants to see Ukraine happening here.”
He said that “to train more people was really important” as we are now in a “geopolitical turbulence.”
Estonian leader Alar Karis gave his concerns over NATO’s capabilities, he insisted there needs to be a special military tax.
Karis stressed that Europe must match America’s defence spending, by doubling the current levels to be ready for war.
Karis said, “We have to do something. At least have it 50-50 [between Europe and the US]. It would be better for us.”
He added, “It’s one way to directly put money to defence and people understand where this money goes.”
