The Hanoi summit is canceled prematurely at the same time as India and Pakistan launch a sharp attack on each other. This means that the clouds of unrest are accumulating over the global pursuit of peace. Sweden and the EU are responding to this with both outstretched hands and armed defense.
Were the peace talks between the United States and North Korea just a game for the galleries? The lead writer Gunnar Jonsson means just that. North Korea wants to ease the sanctions and Trump wants to divert from the domestic political problems he is struggling with and strengthen the image of himself as a global peace broker.
There are no concrete results from this meeting that contribute to a positive development on the nuclear weapons front. However, lead writer Martin Liby Troein believes that something "crazy", or at least seemingly erratic leaders, can reduce the risk of someone actually resorting to nuclear weapons. In the conflict between India and Pakistan that flared up this week, it is just like that, both threatening to use nuclear weapons in the event of a sufficiently large violation. But that they wait is based on the fact that they both see that the other can actually turn this threat into reality, writes Liby Troein.
So how do our rulers react to these potentially growing threats? The EU is advancing its positions in Southeast Asia, describes Carl Lentz. This is done by deepening trade cooperation and working for security in the region by, among other things, advocating transparency and a balance of power between nations.
For Sweden, the total defense is being upgraded, but the founder of the Total Defense Foundation, Freddy Jönsson Hagberg, highlights that the clear financing plan required is not yet in place and that the process takes too long.
One of the concrete threats - which is painted by Robin Häggblom in an editorial in Svenska Dagbladet - is the Iskander robots that Russia possesses. Against these, Sweden is in full swing to acquire a defense system at a price tag of SEK 20-30 billion. Finland refrains from this investment.
"It is expensive to be poor," concludes Robin Häggblom, its leader. This can only be interpreted as meaning that he believes that Sweden has made the right decision in the matter. Ingvar Persson agrees by expressing that "it feels like rag smoke is approaching from all directions" and that this will probably characterize the EU election in May, the theme will be something like "what we need to protect ourselves against".
It seems that we need to come to terms with the fact that today we live in a more unpredictable world, but we must not panic, what is now being tested is the ability to prevent conflict by developing collaborations where we can move towards a common peaceful solution - possibly in combination with seeming a bit erratic.
The Hanoi Summit
Gunnar Jonsson, Dagens Nyheter
"Radar couple Trump and Kim play for the gallery"
Martin Liby Troein, Dagens Nyheter
"When leaders seem crazy, (perhaps) the risk of war decreases"
Security and defense policy
Carl Lentz, Svenska Dagbladet
"EU advances positions in Southeast Asia"
Freddy Jönsson Hanberg, Svenska Dagbladet
"Total defense needs capability here and now"
Robin Häggblom, Svenska Dagbladet
"Iskander is so much more than just a ballistic robot"
Ingvar Persson, Aftonbladet
“Ragnarök is approaching from all directions”
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