Sweden’s PM on whether Europe can deter Russia for ever | The Economist

I see no signs at all. that Russia has changed its basic. logic behind this war. They want to conquer. Ukraine basically. and we don't know what. aims or goals they have after that. and that is bad enough. I think Ukraine. has since long been. very vocal on that they are. willing to negotiate. on decent terms, because most wars. actually end. in some kind of negotiations.

We have been participating. in all these efforts, sometimes together. with the US, sometimes. without the US, the coalition of the willing. We have used the formula. peace through strength. to show the Russians. that they don't have, even though they believe they have, they do not have time on their side. But still nothing is really happening. So in that sense. we simply have. to continue. because the alternative. would be impossible. How worried are you about. the pain that Ukraine is feeling?

And maybe the winter that is coming. Worried, of course, not panicked, but worried. I speak very regularly. with President Zelensky, of course, and with others. on other levels as well. They are making impressive strikes, spectacular strikes. I think the Russians are quite. surprised by their ability. And that is impressive in itself. But they are also feeling a. lot of pain from their. inability to protect. themselves from missiles. and that, as everybody knows,

that is due to the. lack of interceptors. and we do a lot to. find more interceptors. But they know that. they are vulnerable right now, but they have a basic strength. through winter, after winter. So don't take that for granted. But we know. they are extremely resilient. and that they have been that. And I don't think. the Russians can count... You don't break them. you don't break. Ukraine in that sense. So then how does this end?

When I meet young people. in Sweden I normally. try to tell them. something like this. We don't know. when it ends, but how. it ends will define the. security situation in our. part of the world for. at least a generation to come. That's the importance. and that's also why we. in the Nordics, the Baltics, several European countries. are making real big efforts to. provide them with economic. and military assistance,

as you know. We're not simply being. polite when we say that. we do it for you, but also for ourselves. We mean it in a literal sense.