Malmer Stenergard: Utgången av Ukrainakriget ”existentiellt” för Sverige

Maria Malmö Stenegard Foreign Minister How should Sweden navigate its relationship with the United States We will stand by our values while remaining pragmatic in ways that advance Swedish interests and the safety of the Swedish people Then I think we need to be clear and point out when the United States acts in a way that undermines trust as it has done regarding Greenland They must also continue deepening cooperation to advance Swedish interests such as Swedish security and Swedish trade which is so vital to our prosperity Marco Rubio was greeted with applause in Munich this weekend How do you view the evolving relationship with the U S and how do you assess the unpredictability It remains unpredictable There were many subtle nuances in that statement—noticeable if you listened closely I value an ally with a decent tone far more than one without it That's why I also think many people felt relieved He emphasized just how important it is for the United States that Europe succeeds and that they genuinely want it to succeed It's something I still hold onto After that we'll continue to be clear when their actions conflict with our values For example in relation to climate efforts or their views on internal matters within European countries Ukraine is the most central issue Before the declaration you also met with Ukraine's ambassador How important is Ukraine to Sweden It is existential for us How this war ends will affect our security for at least one generation That's why we do what few others do—we live up to our beautiful words that they fight not only for their freedom but also for ours Very few countries actually deliver on those promises I wish more would The situation in Ukraine would look completely different then We will continue to increase our support—military and humanitarian alike—and we will do so together particularly with our colleagues in the Nordic region We will also continue urging others to do more while simultaneously increasing pressure on Russia where there is still a great deal left to accomplish Bear in mind that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is made possible by support from China How should Sweden and the EU respond to China going forward It is extremely serious that goods with overlapping responsibilities are being shipped from China to Russia It's something I've also raised with my Chinese counterpart a matter on which the EU has been very clear and which poses a significant obstacle in our relationship We do however need a relationship with China to advance our trade interests promote trade on fair terms and combat climate change We also take this issue very seriously as well as other matters such as human rights in China