There are many indications that Swedish peacekeeping troops may be sent to Ukraine after the end of the war.
– Our government is not ruling anything out, says Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard (M).
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that the country is prepared to send so-called peacekeeping troops to Ukraine if a peace agreement is reached. This has raised questions about whether other European countries, including Sweden, might follow suit.
Speaking on the Swedish state radio program P1 Morgon, Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard (M) said that it is not inconceivable that Sweden would also participate in such an operation.
– We are not there yet. First and foremost, a just and lasting peace must be negotiated that respects international law, respects Ukraine and, above all, ensures that Russia cannot withdraw and build new forces and attack Ukraine or another country in a few years’ time, she explained.
– Once we have that in place, then we have to ensure that that peace can be kept, and our government is not ruling anything out, the Minister continued.
Similar message from the Minister of Defense
According to the Associated Press, several European countries, led by the UK and France, have been discussing since last year a joint strategy to establish a peacekeeping force in Ukraine. The plan would be activated in the event of a peace agreement, with the stated purpose of monitoring security and preventing further escalation in the region.
The issue of Swedish participation has been debated in the past, with Defense Minister Pål Jonson (M) declaring in December that he “does not exclude the possibility” of Sweden sending soldiers to the country after the war ends.
At the same time, however, he emphasized that there was currently no concrete proposal for such an operation or what it would look like in practice.
