Swedish Def Min Hultqvist calls Russia's security requirements 'unacceptable': Report

Russia's recent security requirements to the United States (US) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have been described as "unacceptable" by Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist. He claimed that Russia's demands would prevent Sweden from implementing the current security policy. "The goal is to establish a Russian sphere of interest where Moscow can exert influence over countries in our immediate vicinity. We would also be impacted by this, so it is simply unacceptable to us," Hultqvist told Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter as reported by Sputnik. 

Earlier on Friday, December 17, Russia's Foreign Ministry presented a draft proposal on security assurances between Russia and the United States, as well as to NATO countries in Europe. The proposals seek to restrict NATO from expanding in eastern Europe. Among several other terms, it also calls to prohibit the United States and Russia from placing intermediate and shorter-range missiles within striking distance of each other's territory.  One of the most important conditions is for NATO to halt its expansion. This would potentially rule out Sweden and Finland from joining the alliance, which is supported by several of their political parties, including the Swedish Moderates and the Finnish National Coalition Party.

"We have no intention to join NATO, whether now or later, and this is entirely a Swedish viewpoint on which no one else should have an opinion. We must be able to make judgments based on what we believe is in the best interests of the Swedish people. It's about our fundamental sovereignty and ability to make our own choices," Hultqvist remarked according to the Swedish daily. He also went on to claim that Russia's requirements are contrary to International law. Small countries must be able to make their own judgments regarding their future and any attempt to create areas of interest in which certain countries are regarded superior to others is not at all acceptable, he added. 

Russia may try to keep EU out of talks on security policy: Josep Borrell

Meanwhile, On Monday, December 20, Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief, warned that Moscow may try to keep the European Union out of talks on security guarantees. He stated that Russia's ultimate goals are unclear, except that it is trying to threaten and weaken Ukraine. "Various scenarios are possible. We can't rule out Russia's desire to use the crisis as leverage for its declared goal of reshaping Europe's security framework while simultaneously excluding Europeans from the discussion," Borrell stated on his blog as reported by Sputnik. The EU's foreign policy chief also stressed that any Russian move against Ukraine's sovereignty would have severe consequences, and expressed optimism that the United States will not allow Brussels to be excluded from security negotiations.

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