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- How Sweden is Becoming Russia's Worst Nightmare - A Surprising Twist in Global Politics
How Sweden is Becoming Russia's Worst Nightmare - A Surprising Twist in Global Politics
Discover how Sweden is transforming into a nation that stands up to global tyranny and challenges international bullies, by becoming one of the world's most prolific arms suppliers in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Sweden is outperforming larger nations in providing critical military aid to Ukraine, surprising many with its unexpected role in global affairs.
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Video Transcript
When most people think of Sweden, they imagine a
picturesque place full of stunning natural beauty,
charming cities, a thriving culture
of innovation, and the home of iconic
global brands like IKEA or Volvo.
The country is famous for being
one of the most peaceful places on earth,
with one the happiest and least stressed
populations you'll find anywhere.
And while all of this is still true,
Sweden has recently rebranded itself into
something even more amazing—a nation that's
not afraid to stand up to global tyranny
or to challenge international bullies.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and
the resulting shifts in global politics,
Sweden is now stepping into a role that
many people never expected of them.
They are becoming one of the world's
most prolific arms suppliers.
But it goes much deeper than that.
In many cases, Sweden is currently
outperforming even much larger nations in
providing certain categories of critical
military aid to Ukraine, with extensive
support including long-range missiles,
artillery shells, anti-aircraft defenses,
and advanced reconnaissance systems.
To some, this is a surprising move.
For the past two centuries, Sweden has
had a strong reputation for neutrality - something
that has been a defining feature of its foreign
policy since the Napoleonic Wars, and a deeply
ingrained part of Swedish national identity.
Sweden's neutrality runs so deep, that they
even managed to avoid direct involvement
in both World Wars, and to stay neutral in
the days of tyrants like Stalin and Hitler.
But now, Sweden has ended its isolation and
brought its military might to the frontlines,
standing shoulder to shoulder with
Ukraine in its fight for freedom.
Vladimir Putin's aggression has apparently
been the push Sweden needed, bringing them
over the edge, and convincing them to abandon
their historical neutrality and join the NATO
alliance—while simultaneously providing
lethal support to Ukraine, the opposite
of what Russia likely expected.
And Sweden's aid to Ukraine
has been far from just symbolic.
While they're a relatively small nation, their
support has been incredibly meaningful, and has
played a big part in changing the tide of the war.
Sweden's latest aid package alone is massive.
Worth over $1.2 billion, it includes artillery
shells, surface-to-air missiles, and infantry
fighting vehicles—all designed to pack a punch
and tip the scales in Ukraine's favor.
Before the war, people might have expected
Swedish support to come mostly in the form of
humanitarian aid. But, that just isn't the case.
Every day on Ukrainian battlefields, Swedish
tech is being used to eliminate Russian soldiers,
protecting Ukrainian cities and military
positions, while simultaneously making it
harder and harder for Russia to accomplish
their military and geopolitical objectives.
And as Russia has tried to capture further
territory from Ukraine, Sweden's weapons have been
some of the most punishing in the entire conflict.
But what's perhaps the most impressive thing about
Sweden's actions is how much they've been willing
to put their own country at personal risk in order
to defend Ukraine's sovereignty - despite the
fact that they themselves owe Ukraine nothing.
Like every other nation providing aid to
Ukraine, Sweden was threatened by Russia
with severe consequences if they got involved.
These threats ranged from economic retaliation
to thinly-veiled threats of potential
military or even nuclear aggression.
But unlike many other nations, Sweden did not
let Russia's threats terrify them into inaction,
despite the fact that they live right on
Russia's doorstep, and probably have more
legitimate cause to be worried than most, aside
from Finland and the Baltic States of Estonia,
Lithuania, and Latvia, who, notably, are
also doing their fair share in standing up
to Russia despite immense personal risk.
But our topic today is Sweden, and it's
notable that if Russia were ever to actually
follow through on some of its intense threats,
Sweden is one of the few nations that Russia might
actually be able to retaliate against - but this
still hasn't stopped Sweden. Sweden,
after all, sits well within striking
range of the Russian Air Force, and also
shares the Baltic Sea with Russia, sitting
