After joining NATO: Sweden does not want American nuclear weapons

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“We fully understand the need for all NATO defense capabilities, including the nuclear strategy,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Monday at a ceremony marking Sweden’s accession to NATO in Brussels.

At the same time, however, there is no need for Sweden to host nuclear weapons or a permanent NATO base on Swedish territory in peacetime. Kristersson added that this is a Swedish decision that, in his opinion, will be fully respected.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized that Sweden will of course still be included in NATO’s defense planning. He also pointed out that we already practice together.

Sweden joined NATO last Thursday after about 200 years of military non-alignment. With the presentation of the accession instrument in Washington, the Scandinavian country’s inclusion in the defense alliance became official. The country applied for membership in May 2022 under the impression of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

By joining NATO, Sweden could also theoretically aim to be part of the concept of nuclear weapons sharing. This is based on US nuclear weapons stationed in Europe and could also involve countries like Germany through the concept of nuclear weapons sharing.

The German Bundeswehr, for example, has fighter planes so that it can deploy American atomic bombs in an emergency. About twenty thermonuclear B61 gravity bombs of the American armed forces are said to be stored in Büchel in the Eifel – never officially confirmed. So far they can be hung under German tornadoes.

Another part is the nuclear weapons that the European NATO states Great Britain and France have at their disposal. In addition to Germany, countries such as Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands are also involved in nuclear participation.

(SDA)

Source: Blick