European countries should be more active in collective security matters and refrain from over-relying on the United States.
Modern.az reports that this opinion was voiced by Mikael Klaesson, Chief of Staff of the Swedish Armed Forces, in an interview with the newspaper "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" (FAZ).
Klaesson stated that for many years, numerous European countries, including Sweden and Germany, believed that the military power of the United States ensured Europe's security.
According to him, this very approach is one of the main causes of the problems. The Swedish general emphasized that the issue is not a change in American policy, but rather Europe's excessive focus on its own weaknesses and “self-pity”.
Klaesson noted that European Union member states should strive to become stronger together. He called on Europe to awaken. In the opinion of the Chief of Staff, Europe should both strengthen its independent security capabilities and act as a reliable ally of the United States.
During the interview, Klaesson also touched upon the possibility of Russia “testing” Europe in the Baltic countries, stating that this is a realistic scenario. He noted that the weaker Russian President Vladimir Putin perceives Europe to be, the greater the risk, and Moscow may take harsher steps.
