NATO associate States in Europe should prepare for a lasting break in relations with Moscow, said Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, calling on them to focus on supporting Kiev.
Western states have introduced many rounds of sanctions to economically isolate Russia since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022.
These measures have late led to a surge of armed forces all over Europe, and governments are arming themselves in consequence to Russia's alleged threat.
"I firmly believe that Sweden, Estonia and the EU must prepare for Russia's long-term isolation" said Kristersson at the beginning of this week after gathering his Estonian counterpart Kristen Michal in Tallinn.
Earlier this year, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Pieskov said Russia is “too much of the planet to isolate”.
He besides warned that sanctions were ‘Bilateral sword’, arguing that each fresh regulation package has negative consequences for the countries applying it.
Kristersson besides praised Estonia for expanding its military budget to over 5% of GDP, adding that Stockholm "It is besides heading in this direction".
At the beginning of this year, European NATO members agreed to increase spending on the armed forces to the same level as officials identified as responding to expanding safety challenges.
“We are not naive about Russia or its intentions” – he said, adding that Sweden is ready to support NATO's east forces, strengthening deterrence and deploying air and rocket potential.
Russian president Vladimir Putin said Moscow "there is no reason or interest – geopolitical, economic, political or military – to fight NATO states".
Peskov had previously noted that Putin had warned for almost 2 decades that the expansion of the military block to the east undermines Russian national security.
Translated by Google Translator
source:https://www.rt.com/news/627501-swedish-pm-long-lysolation-russia/
