Russia biggest threat to Sweden until 2030, says Swedish government

By Leila Nezirevic

LONDON (AA) - Sweden Monday said that Russia poses the most serious threat to the Nordic country’s security until 2030, local media reported.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Defense Minister Pal Jonsson and National Security Adviser Henrik Landerholm presented a new national strategy at a Stockholm press conference stating that currently “the threat to Sweden is broad and serious."

“Russia is the biggest and most serious threat to our national security,” said Jonson, according to local media outlet Expressen.

Although Russian forces have suffered heavy losses in Ukraine, Moscow’s military strength remains significant, according to the new strategy.

“Russia has a low threshold for the use of military force, is prepared to take great political and military risks and has also expressed high ambitions for its rearmament,” Jonson added.

According to the politician other “authoritarian” states, such as China, are trying to strengthen their influence and challenge the "rules-based world order."

“We can state that China is now carrying out an extensive rearmament that affects regional stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” said the defense minister.

The strategy also identified organized crime and violent extremism as threats to the country.

The officials further stated that large migration flows pose a risk as migrants could be used as tools to create instability as a means of putting pressure on Sweden.

“This means that we have a very complex security situation to deal with,” Jonsson noted.

The officials further pointed out that the worsened security situation will persist for a foreseeable period, and that there is a risk that it will deteriorate further.