NATO membership for Sweden and Finland

[Parihaka]

Putin is behaving aggressively only towards the West, because he sees no other option to defend Russia's core interests

Apart from a few overflights I don't see him being aggressive toward the west. He is being aggressive to former client states such as Chechnya, Ukraine, Georgia and of course now Syria. He just pretends to his captive Russian audience that he's being tough toward the west.

[Doktor]

At their current rate of military spending and interest in their own defense?

Learn how to speak Russian.

They've learned how to say Гaз.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/09/11...ampaign=buffer

[snapper]

I was being facetious. Apologies that didn't come through. What does the EU do when the US leaves NATO?

My apologies. Build nukes.

[Officer of Engineers]

That's my concern. Russian troops were in Berlin in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, and there's no reason to assume they won't be back in the 21st. The saving grace is that Russia will probably not be the obscene military powerhouse it was in prior centuries and so probably won't make it to Paris or London.

The other side of the coin is that the Germans were in Russia more times than the Russians were on German ground.

[cirrrocco]

OOE is back . Hurrah!!!!

[Doktor]

The other side of the coin is that the Germans were in Russia more times than the Russians were on German ground.

Remind me again, why they never stayed?

[Officer of Engineers]

Same reason as every other failed occupancy. Not enough money.

[snapper]

Swedish - Polish defence agreement signed yesterday:

http://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddel...rtecknat-idag/
http://www.thelocal.se/20150914/swed...-military-ties

(first one in reindeer lingo)

[GVChamp]

My apologies. Build nukes.

They've got hundreds, but it doesn't matter unless you're willing to use them.

The other side of the coin is that the Germans were in Russia more times than the Russians were on German ground.

Absolutely, but I think post-Adenauer Germany will behave differently than post-Frederick Germany, at least for a long while.

[TopHatter]

Sweden boosts military spending, expands draft amid Russia tensions

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden will boost military spending by around 40% over the next five years and double the numbers conscripted into the armed forces as it looks to beef up its defence amid growing tensions with Russia, the government said on Thursday.

Sweden, which is not a member of NATO but enjoys close ties with the bloc, ran down its military after the end of the Cold War to save money.

"We have a situation where the Russian side is willing to use military means to achieve political goals," Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist told reporters. "Based on that, we have a new geo-political security situation to deal with."

Hultqvist said the new proposals would mean an increase in the military budget of 27.5 billion Swedish crowns ($3.10 billion) by 2025.

Increased Russian activity in the Baltic Sea region has pushed Sweden into a hasty programme of rearmament, including the purchase of Patriot missiles from the United States.

Last month, Sweden protested to Moscow after two warships entered its territorial waters without permission and has repeatedly complained about Russian military planes flying too close to its own aircraft and violating Swedish airspace.

The government said the military budget would be increased successively between 2021 and 2025, and would fund an expansion of military personnel to around 90,000 from the current 60,000, including a new mechanised brigade with updated artillery.

The navy will get an extra submarine, increasing the number to five, and the corvette fleet will be updated, while both the army and air force will get upgraded weapons systems.

In addition, the draft will be expanded to 8,000 a year by 2025, up from 4,000 in 2019. Sweden ended conscription in 2010, but reintroduced compulsory military service for a limited number of men and women in 2017.
_______

5 years later, I had thought that things had long-since calmed down between Sweden and Russia. Couldn't have been more wrong

[Albany Rifles]

***looks over shoulder for Gunny and his necro-SWWNBNed picture***

[Officer of Engineers]

Maybe I should go back into quarrantine (aka New Brunswick moose hunt)

[TopHatter]

Sweden to deepen military ties with Norway, Denmark, Swedish TV reports

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden will sign a defence cooperation agreement with Norway and Denmark this week to counter a deteriorating security situation in the Baltic region, Sweden's TV4 said on Thursday.

Sweden, which is not a member of NATO but enjoys close ties with the bloc, is rebuilding its military after decades of neglect as a result of growing tensions with Russia in the Baltic region.

"If there is a crisis situation we will be considerably better prepared in that we will have coordinated our planning in this region," Hultqvist told TV4.

"In practice, we will be able to react more quickly."

He said that the combined resources of the three countries would help deter a potential antagonist.

Sweden has boosted military spending - including agreeing to buy Patriot missiles from the United States - and deepened its military cooperation with NATO and neighbouring countries like Finland in recent years in response to heightened tensions with Russia.

"We know that Russia is prepared to use military power in order to achieve its political goals and aims," Hultqvist said.

"We are deepening our cooperation with the other countries in this region precisely in order to raise the bar in preventing disruptions and crises."
____________

Um, wow.

[Bigfella]

The increasing military co-operation between Sweden, Finland & NATO is a crystal clear paractical declaration that Russia under Putin is a genuine threat to the region. Anyone who can't see this is wilfully blind.

[Archdude]

The increasing military co-operation between Sweden, Finland & NATO is a crystal clear paractical declaration that Russia under Putin is a genuine threat to the region. Anyone who can't see this is wilfully blind.

Agree