German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Monday that Sweden “can count” on other European countries to come to its defense in the event of a Russian attack, even though the country is not a member of the NATO military alliance.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson in Berlin, Scholz noted that the EU had built a mutual assistance clause into its core treaty. He said that clause would be “taken very seriously” if it came to an attack against Sweden.
“When it comes down to it, it can be relied upon,” Scholz added. […]
Scholz’s remarks indicated Berlin agrees with that assessment. However, how much the EU could do to defend Sweden is open to question, given that — unlike NATO — it does not include the military superpower United States, or the United Kingdom, one of the Continent’s few military heavyweights.[…]
The EU clause says that if a member of the European Union is the victim of “armed aggression on its territory,” other states have an “obligation of aid and assistance by all the means in their power.”
Speaking alongside Scholz on Monday, Andersson made clear that such assistance should include military help, if needed. She stressed that Sweden would offer such aid if another EU member came under attack. Läs artikel