Russia poses the greatest threat to Sweden and its allies between now and 2030, according to the Swedish government’s new national security strategy, unveiled on Monday.
The document stresses the possibility of an armed attack on Sweden or its allies, echoing sentiments voiced in January by the Swedish Armed Forces’ supreme commander, who cautioned citizens to prepare themselves mentally for war.
Defence Minister Pål Jonson said at a press conference that the threat represented by Russia would depend on the progression of the war in Ukraine. He added that Russia’s threshold for resorting to military force was quite low, noting that Russia was ready to take significant political and military risks.
In mid-June, a Russian military aircraft violated Swedish airspace near the strategically important Baltic Sea island of Gotland.
Since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its subsequent invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Sweden has significantly bolstered its army, and, in an historic shift, it joined NATO earlier this year, ending over 200 years of non-alignment.
In addition to outlining the perceived threats, the new strategy details Sweden’s efforts to secure its strategic assets, particularly in the country’s north.
This region gained prominence in January 2023 when a leading Swedish mining company reported the discovery of Europe’s “largest known” rare earth deposits in Kiruna.
Heavily reliant on sectors such as green steel and electric batteries,Sweden aims to play a significant role in the ecological transition, leveraging its northern regions as a driving force.
Currently, 98% of the EU’s rare earths are imported from China, giving Beijing a virtual monopoly in the sector.
