Swedish Peace is heading for a real defeat as it seems that Sweden is on its way into the NATO defense alliance.
- There is a lot to suggest that Sweden and Finland will join, but we have not given up, says Svenska Fred's chairman Agnes Hellström, and continues:
- Sweden should not apply for membership now in such a vulnerable and frightened time, and I hope that the Social Democrats will come to that conclusion.
But is not Sweden safer in NATO?
- There are several countries that have chosen freedom of alliance and Sweden has been one of them for 200 years.
I believe that it is extremely important that there continue to be states and voices that do not contribute to polarization, but on the contrary can be a strong voice for mediation, diplomacy and relaxation in a very heated situation.
New members are pouring in
At the same time, the organization is also in a way a winner.
New members flocked to the beginning of the year, after Russia invaded Ukraine and after the NATO issue became hot.
Now there are over 9,000 members, an increase of 22 percent in just two months.
Agnes Hellström thinks that the NATO debate has been skewed and one-sided.
She believes that the war in Ukraine has frightened many and that it has been difficult for critical voices to emerge because they have been hard hit.
- To be against NATO membership is more or less equated with being a traitor.
"Has noticed a shift"
At the same time, she thinks it's starting to change now.
- In recent weeks, we have noticed a shift.
More and more cultural workers, politicians and leading writers are taking a stand and raising perspectives on NATO and criticism of how one-sided the debate has been from a democratic perspective.
You have long worked towards NATO membership. How will you change if Sweden now joins?
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We will address this at our congress next week, but if Sweden applies for membership in NATO, we see it as very important that the government signs the convention on the ban on nuclear weapons.