Scholz signals that the EU would help defend Sweden if Russia attacks – POLITICO
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Monday that Sweden “can count on” other European countries coming to its defense in the event of a Russian attack, despite the fact that the country is not a member of NATO’s military alliance.
When Scholz spoke at a joint press conference with Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson in Berlin, Scholz noted that the EU had built a clause on mutual assistance into its core treaty. He said that the clause would be “taken very seriously” if there was to be an attack on Sweden.
“When it comes down to it, you can trust it,” Scholz added.
Russia’s war in Ukraine has sparked fears in Sweden and Finland that they could be the next target for an attack from Moscow, especially as none of the countries is a member of NATO, which has a mutual defense pact in its heart.
Earlier this month, Andersson and Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin wrote a letter to Charles Michel, President-in-Office of the European Council, emphasizing that “EU leaders must be very united and clear on the fact that the EU is also a security community for its member states” and that the EU’s own mutual defense clause is an essential part of this. “
Scholz’s comments showed that Berlin agrees with that assessment. How much the EU could do to defend Sweden can, however, be questioned, given that it – unlike NATO – does not include the military superpower the United States, or Britain, one of the continent’s few military heavyweights.
Germany’s own armed forces have been under-equipped for several years, and Scholz recently announced a massive increase in defense spending to try to turn years of neglect into the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The EU clause states that if a member of the European Union is subjected to “armed aggression on its territory”, other states have an “obligation to assist and assist by all means within their power.”
When he spoke with Scholz on Monday, Andersson made it clear that such assistance should include military assistance, if needed. She emphasized that Sweden would offer such assistance if another EU member were to be attacked.
“Since we joined the EU, we are no longer really neutral, because there is this solidarity clause,” Andersson said. “So if an EU country was attacked or there was a crisis there, we would no longer be neutral: we would support that country. That may include sending troops. ”
Asked about a possible NATO membership, Andersson said that Sweden saw “that the security situation has changed” and that political parties are now discussing the consequences of this.
– Depending on the result of this debate, we will see what is the best way forward for Sweden, she says.
Andersson’s Swedish Social Democratic Party has so far been skeptical about joining NATO.
Charles Duxbury in Stockholm contributed with reporting.