Northern Europe

By tying the national interest to unilateral territorial demands, the US president puts himself in the same camp as Vladimir Putin. Putin’s strategy is also dismissive of international rules and the sovereignty of smaller nations, and appears to hold that only through force and intimidation can Russia advance its interests.

“When you combine the European Union’s market with the US market, you have clear dominance in world affairs,” Kariņš argued.

Overall, the Swedish debate on the EU has been criticized by experts and journalists for failing to address central questions, such as how the EU should prevent another economic crisis and how the deepening defense cooperation could progress further.