Sweden, which is about to become a member of NATO, declared on Tuesday that it does not currently have plans to send ground forces into Ukraine.
“It’s not on the cards at all for the moment,” Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told Swedish public broadcaster SVT, the day after his country cleared the final obstacle to joining the transatlantic military alliance.
He was reacting to comments by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said on Monday that Western leaders should not rule out sending ground troops to help Ukraine defeat Russia’s invading forces.
“For the moment, we’re busy sending advanced (military) equipment to Ukraine,” Kristersson said.
On February 20, Stockholm declared that it will provide defense assistance to Ukraine totaling 7.1 billion kronor ($682 million), which would include air defense, artillery shells, boats, mines, torpedoes, and military training for Ukrainian troops.
According to Kiev, it has far too few weapons to repel Russia’s incursion, which is in its third year.
As of right now, Kristersson claimed, there is “no demand” for Western foot soldiers from the Ukrainians.
He said that individual NATO members had different attitudes to engaging in international affairs “and the French tradition isn’t the same as the Swedish one”.
Although Sweden has not participated in warfare since a conflict with Norway more than two centuries ago, it does contribute to international peacekeeping forces.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Sweden and Finland, a neighbor, decided to renounce their long-standing non-alignment and apply to join NATO.
On Monday, the Hungarian parliament approved Stockholm’s application to become the 32nd member of NATO, removing the last barrier standing in Sweden’s way.
