German Chancellor Olaf Scholz traveled to Stockholm on Monday to meet with the prime ministers of Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland.
The Swedish government said the leaders would “discuss security policy issues such as hybrid threats, civil preparedness and new technologies.”
“At a dinner that evening, discussions will center on continued support to Ukraine,” the Swedish government added.
Seeking common alliances
Prompted by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Sweden joined NATO in March while Finland acceded to the military alliance last year.
“We have long appreciated our neighbors, but at the same time underestimated the importance of concrete, operational cooperation,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson wrote in an opinion piece in Swedish business newspaper Dagens Industri.
“If you want to cooperate well, you have to meet, get to know each other and seek broader common alliances — in both NATO and the EU,” Kristersson wrote.
Meanwhile, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen pointed squarely at Russia as a potential threat to regional security.
“For decades, we have lived very peacefully and without very big threats to Europe. Personally, I think these times are over,” Frederiksen said in quotes published by Danish broadcaster DR.
“With all that we see from the Russian side, we are at the beginning of a new era. It would be wrong if we, as a government, said that you don’t have to deal with this in your everyday life.”
Scholz is expected to continue his visit to Sweden on Tuesday, when he is slated to hold bilateral talks with Kristersson.
zc/lo (dpa, AP, AFP)
