Greece is a good example for other EU member-states that need to increase their defence spending in order for Europe to acquire real military capabilities, noted Johan Frisell, Deputy Director General and Security Policy Director at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, speaking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency.

Frisell was in Athens for an event organised by ELIAMEP and the Swedish Embassy to mark the one-year anniversary of the country’s accession to NATO.

Sweden, as a newer member, has a lot to learn from Greece, he stated, while the two countries have a lot in common, as they depend on safe and open seas. Frisell also emphasised that Sweden would be ready to participate in a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine if certain conditions are met, including US support. He also stated that Russian aggression is not only a problem for Ukraine, but for European security, as there are reasons to believe that if Russia succeeds in Ukraine, it may want to change other borders as well.

Regarding Turkiye, he pointed out that in certain aspects, it is not aligned with the goals of the European Union’s foreign policy, but he hopes that over time and through negotiations this will change.