Scholz signals EU would help defend Sweden if Russia attacks – POLITICO & More News Here

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz mentioned Monday that Sweden “can count” on different European international locations to come back to its protection within the occasion of a Russian assault, although the nation isn’t a member of the NATO army alliance.

Speaking at a joint press convention with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson in Berlin, Scholz famous that the EU had constructed a mutual help clause into its core treaty. He mentioned that clause would be “taken very seriously” if it got here to an assault towards Sweden.

“When it comes down to it, it can be relied upon,” Scholz added.

Russia’s conflict in Ukraine has triggered fears in Sweden and Finland that they might be the subsequent goal of an assault from Moscow, notably as neither nation is a member of NATO, which has a mutual protection pact at its coronary heart.

Earlier this month, Andersson and Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin wrote a letter to European Council President Charles Michel stressing that “EU leaders must be very united and clear about the fact that the EU is also a security community for its member states” and that the EU’s personal mutual protection clause “is an essential part of this.”

Scholz’s remarks indicated Berlin agrees with that evaluation. However, how a lot the EU may do to defend Sweden is open to query, on condition that — not like NATO — it doesn’t embody the army superpower United States, or the United Kingdom, one of many Continent’s few army heavyweights.

Germany’s personal armed forces have been underequipped for years, and Scholz lately introduced a large enhance in protection spending to attempt to reverse years of neglect within the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The EU clause says that if a member of the European Union is the sufferer of “armed aggression on its territory,” different states have an “obligation of aid and assistance by all the means in their power.”

Speaking alongside Scholz on Monday, Andersson made clear that such help ought to embody army help, if wanted. She careworn that Sweden would supply such support if one other EU member got here underneath assault.

“Since we joined the EU, we are no longer really neutral, because there is this solidarity clause,” Andersson mentioned. “So if an EU country were attacked or there was a crisis there, we would no longer be neutral: We would support that country. That could include sending troops.”

On the query of potential NATO membership, Andersson mentioned that Sweden noticed “that the security situation has changed” and that political events have been now discussing the implications of this.

“Depending on the outcome of this debate, we will see what is the best way forward for Sweden,” she mentioned.

Andersson’s Swedish Social Democratic Party has to date been skeptical about becoming a member of NATO.

Charles Duxbury in Stockholm contributed reporting.

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