Moscow. April 17th. INTERFAX - Sweden, in the process of discussing joining NATO, may consider the option of maintaining the country's nuclear-free status and the absence of the possibility of deploying alliance military bases on its territory, says Natalia Plevako, head of the Northern Europe Center of the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, an expert on Sweden.
"In search of a solution when joining the alliance, the option of preserving the country's nuclear-free status and the inability to deploy NATO military bases on its territory is being played out," Plevako told Interfax.
Supporters of Sweden's accession to the alliance are aware that membership in NATO in the event of a global conflict "does not guarantee against the catastrophic consequences of a possible future war," the expert notes.
At the same time, the political forces of Sweden, advocating the country's accession to the alliance, adhere to the point of view that "there is a certain "red line" that the Russian leadership will not dare to cross," Plevako said.
The analyst notes that "the Finnish position has a considerable influence on the discussion in Sweden of the issue of joining NATO, where the same issue has been intensively discussed." "The rule established in recent decades to act together objectively narrows the limits of maneuver for Swedish foreign policy, but makes it possible to prepare the final decision more carefully," she said.
According to the expert, it is currently difficult to make a forecast regarding the possibility of Stockholm filing an application to join the alliance at the upcoming June NATO summit. "A lot will depend on the events in Ukraine, on how long the special operation will last, and finally, on the activity of the Finnish side, the discussion of the problem of joining the alliance there in parliament," Plevako notes.
At the same time, Plevako believes that "for the Swedes, the rejection of neutrality is a very big problem, maybe bigger than for the Finns." "This is a rejection of the historical tradition, of the doctrine that has served the country well, allowing it to stay out of wars and direct funds to maintain one of the best welfare systems in the world in modern times. This is the destruction of the mentality that was nurtured during the peaceful 200 years of Swedish history," the analyst notes.
At the same time, the expert notes that Stockholm's rejection of neutrality will affect Russian-Swedish relations in two main points. "Firstly, the narrowing of the space for negotiations between the West and Russia in a threatening development of events. Secondly, the transformation of a calm border on Russia's northern borders into a zone of threats emanating no longer from the intentions of the Swedish and Finnish governments, but from plans drawn up in Washington and Brussels," Plevako said.
On April 14, The Times, citing US officials, reported that Finland and Sweden are considering becoming NATO members this summer. According to them, NATO membership for both countries was "a topic of conversation and numerous sessions" during negotiations between the alliance's foreign ministers.
