Answers about the threat after the gas leak: Has circumstantial evidence

Baltic Sea  

 

New defense agreement between Sweden and Great Britain after the summit on Gotland

 

Fredrik Björkman  

Updated 14.08 | Published 13.20  

 

News 

 

On Friday, leaders and representatives of the ten countries within the defense cooperation JEF gathered to discuss the security situation. 

 

Sweden demonstrated Gotland's role in the defense of the Baltic Sea area, but the meeting was overshadowed by the suspected sabotage of the gas leak between Finland and Estonia.  

 

- It underlines that we live in a time where even civil infrastructure is very much threatened in this security policy environment, says Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M).  

 

Prime ministers, prime ministers and defense ministers quickly look up into the sky as two Jas 39 Gripen fly in formation above them. The roar of the jet engines of the fighter planes echoes over Visby harbour.  

 

Next to the party is the British battleship HMS Diamond moored.  

 

On Friday morning, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson was invited aboard the destroyer by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to discuss a new partnership agreement between the countries that will increase security.  

 

- In the partnership, we strengthen cooperation in defense matters, security matters, a new cooperation in counter-terrorism and defense materiel export, says Ulf Kristersson.  

 

HMS Diamond's air defense greatly impresses Swedish defense personnel on site on Gotland. 

 

- It is responsible for putting an umbrella over the fleet group. It has a tremendous ability to protect against the enemy, says a slightly excited defense official.  

The British battleship HMS Diamond. Photo: Stefan Jerrevång   

 

The agreement a "lubricant"  

 

Representatives of ten countries met in Visby within the framework of the defense cooperation Joint Expeditionary Force, JEF. Sweden joined in 2017 and the cooperation enables the countries to help each other quickly if a threat were to become a reality. Several joint exercises have been carried out recently.  

 

Officials at the government office call JEF a "lubricant" for defense cooperation that can later be done within NATO.  

 

During the meeting in Visby, the war in Ukraine, strengthened cooperation with NATO and the handling of hybrid threats were discussed. The group agreed that JEF should draw up proposals for joint efforts in crisis and conflict.  

 

The meeting was overshadowed by the leak in the undersea gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia earlier this week, where suspicions have been directed at Russia.

 

- We have circumstantial evidence and now we need to put all the pieces together. We have already discussed the situation with Jens Stoltenberg (NATO Secretary General ed. note) and NATO can provide assistance during the investigation, says Finnish President Sauli Niinistö on site in Visby. 

 

           

          Sauli Niinistö, President of Finland. Photo: Stefan Jerrevång  

 

Estonia after the suspected sabotage: We have prepared  

 

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas tells Aftonbladet that the threat level against the countries around the Baltic Sea has not increased since the incident.

  

- No, we live next to an aggressive neighbor and Russia is a danger and has always been a danger. We know that. We have prepared for hybrid threats because Russia is waging a shadow war where we see cyber attacks and various hybrid attacks.  

 

How well prepared are you, given that this could happen?  

 

- We don't yet know what has happened, but obviously we can do more to protect our critical infrastructure. That is why we have discussed this within NATO.  

 

"We live next to an aggressive neighbor," says Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.

  

  

  

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. "We live next to an aggressive neighbor," says Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.

1 / 2Photo: Stefan Jerrevång  

Gotland's role was lifted  

 

For Sweden, it was of great importance to show Gotland's importance for the defense of the Baltic Sea. Not least for NATO when, or if, Sweden becomes a member of the military alliance. 

 

- There is no other place in Sweden right now that arouses so much interest among other NATO countries, says Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. 

 

The prime minister also took the opportunity to show off parts of the war material that Sweden has donated to Ukraine - hence the summit's visit to Visby harbor in the morning before the summit began. 

 

- When it comes to Swedish defense material, we have quite a lot to show off and be proud of. I place great value on Swedish military equipment and what it can contribute to peace and protection against attacks on civilians in Ukraine, says Ulf Kristersson.  

 

"It underlines that we live in a time where even civilian infrastructure is very much threatened in this security policy environment." Photo: Stefan Jerrevång  

 

FACTS  

The countries that are part of the Joint Expeditionary Force, JEF  

- Great Britain  

- Sweden  

- Norway  

- Denmark 

- Finland  

- Estonia  

- Latvia  

- Lithuania  

- Iceland  

– The Netherlands 

Photo: Stefan Jerrevång