Thread by @AnnwieAnna

Last week we kicked off the 5th #Baltic Sea Security Conference in #Stockholm, gathering representatives from 15 countries (#Nordics, #Baltics, PL, #UK, Fr, Ge, NL, #US, Ca). Here are my key take aways from the discussions, marked by a sense of urgency and severity.
A thread🧵:

✅Russia constitutes a direct and acute military threat in Europe, and especially to those states it perceives to be in its "sphere of interest".1/10

✅The West must be prepared to fight a war with Russia, in order to avoid it. That is not the case today, but it would be the most efficient deterrence. Russia understands the language of strength.2/10

✅#Ukraine must rapidly be given military support to win -not only endure - against Russia. Air power is vital, as well as long range missiles and continued supply of ammunition. 3/10

✅The West must generate strong political leadership, guided by a vision for Europe as whole, free and at peace. 4/10

✅The West must urgently increase procurement and production military equipment, such as ammunition and missiles. Wartime production rate is needed.5/10

✅Mass and scale still matters, alongside innovation and new technologies. Therefore, the West must also address recruitment (considering reintroduction of conscription) as well as how and what we train and exercise.6/10

✅For more than a decade, Russia has conducted hybrid warfare towards the West, and it continues through sabotage on subwater infrastructure, disinformation and propaganda, orchestrated migration, cyberattacks, electronic jamming, etc. The #EU is key to address most of these challenges, as is EU-#NATO cooperation.7/10

✅Northern Europe must have the capacity to be a First Responder. Regional initiatives can pave the way to move fast on a tactical level. 8/10

✅#Germany and #Poland should be more integrated into #Baltic Sea security.9/10

Thanks to the Swedish Armed Forces for co-hosting and @US_EUCOM for a decade-long engagement in the format. 10/10

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