Secretary of State Blinken Makes Crucial Visit to Scandinavia

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is visiting Sweden, Norway, and Finland (May 29-June 2) to solidify relations in a tempestuous period of history. NATO’s newest member Finland will provide the opportunity for the US’ chief foreign policy representative to discuss where the Finns will be most valuable in creating a bulwark against Russian aggression. While in Sweden, Secretary Blinken participated in the fourth US-EU Trade and Technology Council meeting as the co-chair. Among the topics covered were ways to move more quickly on the variety of ways to achieve “clean tech” cooperation and transition. The most important subject, however, during the three-nation visit is the threat posed by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Blinken Side by Side With Sweden’s Prime Minister

During the talks in Luleå, at F21, an Air Force Wing in northern Sweden, Blinken held a joint press availability meet and greet with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who told reporters the reason for the location is that the Arctic Challenge Exercise 2023 was taking place at F21. Kristersson explained that “the North of Sweden is very important geographically for the Swedish armed forces as it provides strategic depth for us and our neighboring countries. The Russian border is six and a half hours drive from here.” That means one of Sweden’s contributions to NATO would be to fill that security gap in the North.

According to Blinken:

“[T]he United States and Sweden are working more closely together than ever on a wide variety of shared interests, Ukraine, Sweden’s NATO accession, our bilateral security partnership … and our efforts to ensure that the Arctic remains a region free from conflict where nations act responsibly and in accordance with international law.”

Blinken told the reporters discussions would include “new export controls on the technology found in Iranian drones used to target Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure.”

Sweden’s membership in NATO has been a hot topic. Blinken has assured that “we will continue to work to complete Sweden’s accession by the time our leaders gather in Vilnius (Lithuania) for the NATO Summit” in July. During the question-and-answer period, one reporter asked what the United States was prepared to do about Turkey and Hungary standing in the way of Sweden’s NATO membership. Blinken explained accession was a process whereby members of the alliance could raise problematic issues, but “the time is now to finalize Sweden’s accession.”

Blinken Confident Turkey and Hungary Will Agree to Admit Sweden

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stood in the way of Sweden becoming a NATO member, angering the United States and other alliance nations. However, having won re-election on May 28 on a Turkish nationalism theme, Erdogan is expected “to mend ties with the United States, analysts suggest, and could approve the membership of Sweden into NATO, as he already did with Finland, perhaps in time for the alliance’s yearly summit in July,” Steven Erlanger reported in The New York Times.

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been critical, “citing grievances over Swedish criticism of Oban’s record on democracy and the rule of law,” according to a Reuters report. Nonetheless, “we do very much look forward to seeing both Turkey as well as Hungary ratify Sweden’s accession protocols very soon, prior to the summit in Vilnius,” US Ambassador Dereck J. Hogan, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, told reporters recently.

Blinken’s trip to Norway centered on discussions with other NATO foreign ministers to work out preparations for the July summit, with an agenda focused on how NATO can better support Ukraine. Discussions will no doubt include expediting delivery to the Kyiv government of F-16 fighters recently approved for export by the United States. In addition, the alliance countries have, in recent months, agreed to provide a number of more advanced weapon systems.

Blinken will end his trip in Helsinki to emphasize the essential bilateral ties between Finland and the United States as well as the significance of Finland’s NATO membership. As important as the talks with Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin, Blinken will give a major speech at Helsinki City Hall. His message will address “all the ways in which Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has been a strategic failure, and our continued efforts to support Ukraine’s defense of its territory, sovereignty, and democracy in pursuit of a just and durable peace,” according to a State Department press release.

There has not been a more critical time in NATO’s history. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has cemented the alliance. With the pending accession of Sweden to the mutual defense group, Russia’s aggression will likely meet a resolve it had not anticipated. Perhaps even the Kremlin will see it that way.