My Rohwedder
Political commentator
This is a commentary text. Analysis and positions are those of the writer.
Updated 18.13 | Published 16.43
In a few days it will be three years since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Since then, the security situation in the world has only gotten worse.
The Swedish government is groping to find its place in the new order and all the ice they seem to have in their stomachs does not seem to help.
After an extraordinary meeting on Ukraine in the Riksdag this week, Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard met the press. She probably meant to say that the Swedish government continues to have ice in its stomach when it comes to the US administration's statements about Ukraine. Instead, she said: "I still have a big lump of ice in my stomach". Probably that lump of ice is a better description of how people feel after a week in which Trump accused Ukraine of starting the war, called President Zelensky a dictator and demanded new elections in Ukraine. None of this is true or reasonable, as everyone knows, and it has caused European leaders to shift gears.
Everyone knew that Trump would shake up the world order when he returned to the White House. He had already said that he would introduce tariffs, resolve the conflict in the Middle East in just a few days and broker peace between Ukraine and Russia. Yet here the Swedish politicians are talking about ice in their stomachs. The Foreign Minister also often returns to not looking at what the US says, but what is done.
Yet everyone agrees that words matter.
In recent days, there has been a different tone from the government. Ulf Kristersson has called for unity and solidarity around Ukraine. The government has taken a step closer to the Riksdag and increased the exchange of information between the government and all parties in the Riksdag. Here, words matter when they are spoken in support of Ukraine and in support of Sweden continuing to send large aid packages to Ukraine.
Words matter when they show unity and support for sending billions of Swedish kronor in aid to Ukraine. An issue that has not been equally uncontroversial in all European countries.
Words of unity and solidarity matter to those Swedes who are worried about the uncertain future we are now facing.
And words can also play a role when they are used to tear down principles that have prevailed in the world for decades. What Donald Trump says has already affected the security situation in the world in a shocking way.
In March 2024, Sweden became a member of NATO. Not even a year later, it is unclear what kind of alliance it will even be in the future if the US takes a sharp step back from Europe and security here. In the EU circle, people have focused on words and not waited for action. Emanuel Macron has had two crisis meetings with European leaders this week alone. There will probably be more. Not even Sweden looks like it can sit on its haunches if it comes to
Sweden and Swedish politicians are good at "having ice in their stomachs", that is, waiting for a fait accompli and then acting. It is a strategy that seems to be holding up poorly in the world as it is right now.
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