And if not a political solution would be on sight, according to Bildt, what kind of solution he and his mentors at NATO have in mind?

By Prof. Marcello Ferrada de Noli

Nearly every day the Swedish news brings reportages on Russia, invariably ‘exposures’ in negative or detrimental terms for both the Russian society and their leaders. For instance, some days ago on occasion of the World AIDS Day (1 Dec), the Swedish TV had nothing to say about the situation of the disease in Africa or other countries ferociously targeted. Not at all. Nothing, or almost nothing, about the current epidemiological panorama in Sweden. Instead, the Swedish ‘public service’ TV spent all the reportage to describe the situation of the disease – and the alleged shortcomings of its treatment – in Russia!

In general, the Russo-phobic reports at the Swedish media lack much objectivity, and this situation reached its peak when the Swedish TV shamelessly defended through plain lies the fascist putsch in Ukraine. A coup backed by the governments of U.S. and Sweden, at the times Carl Bildt was Swedish foreign minister. Just recently, Poroshenko declared in Kiev how grateful he is to Sweden, which he called “the best defender of Ukraine at the European Union.”

In September 2014, a new government was formed in Sweden, based in the victorious Centre-Left coalition. Hence, a new minister of foreign affairs was appointed, Ms. Margot Wallström. However, for the US-culturally dependent and pro far-right Swedish TV, the politician to interview to analyse the geopolitical situation around Ukraine or Russia is not the actual foreign minister of Sweden. Instead, they call Carl Bildt –the man exposed by WikiLeaks of being Information officer of the U.S. government.

Today (7 Dec 2014) it was the turn of the main in-depth news analysis at the Swedish ‘public service’ TV, the Sunday program Agenda, at Channel 2. Earlier in the day they had announced the participation of Carl Bildt in an analysis of the future of the EU sanctions against Russia.

Here below I publish transcriptions of some quite revealing passages of the Bildt’s interview. The interview can be watched online here (at position 37:15).  The stances of the former FM Carl Bildt on Ukraine and Russia has been widely analysed in the Professors’ Blog. See for instance, Swedish Television’s Russophobic support of fascist cause in East Ukraine continues unabated. Carl Bildt’s heritage?, Are corporations linked to weapon-export industry behind ‘individual countries’ US & Sweden, instigating war in Ukraine?, Foreign Minister Carl Bildt: “Of course Russian separatists downed Malaysian MH-17″. Swedish media not asked him on what evidence, The soon former Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt commented the Odessa massacre and the use of force against “separatists” in Ukraine, A Swedish Extremist Right Wing “Diplomacy”? Or Bildt’s Solo Support To Ukraine Nationalists?

Carl Bildt (CB):

“On has to be clear on that, from Russia’s side, this is an information war.”

Swe TV: Have they succeeded with that?

CB: “They have not succeeded with that yet, but – as this program has shown – Russia wants undoubtedly to split the EU, they want to split the different EU countries. The biggest problem for them [Russia] is a united Europe. A united Europa can stand up against the revisionism that we now see.”

Against the backdrop that several countries are now criticizing the sanctions against Russia, the “public service’ journalist asks then Bildt if is there any risk that the agreements within the EU on sanctions against Russia would be cracking. Carl Bildt answers that such risk is “non-existent”. He says all the countries took the decisions together. And he added:

”All the countries were there at the table WHEN  I  TOOK THOSE DECISIONS, when one took those decisions.”

“All the 28 countries have to keep together (on the sanctions against Russia).”

[The interview moves on to the issue ‘stance of Germany’ regarding Russia]

Swe TV: How active is Angela Merkel in moving forward the sanctions-policy?

CB: Considered the general political situation she is one of the most important, or perhaps the most important singular gestalt. If we consider Russia’s efforts of divide EU, of divide different European countries, then is Germany the most important single country. Angela Markel has there a very strong position. She has also the capacity of talking med Putin in his own language.

Swe TV: She (Angela Merkel) has sharpened her tune also, lately . . .

CB: “She has sharpened he tune quite clearly. In Berlin there is a strong disappointment about the development that the Russian politics have got.”

Swe TV: There are, however, social democratic leaders that have expressed their understanding . . .

CB: “Yes, one, Schroeder, in particular. But if one looks to the opinion surveys, the stance have been successively more critical after they have seen that Russia has broken its agreements one after the other.”

Swe TV:

Swe TV: Nevertheless, does the risk exist that this sanctions-policy against Russia makes Putin strained, and becomes unpredictable, and DANGEROUS?

CB: “The biggest risk is on the opposite, really. He has twice invaded Ukraine during this year; he has destabilized and waged an information war. If we don’t react and stand up? Which is the next country, what is the next step? So, of course, we cannot play down this. There is a significant risk for the security situation we have [säkerhet = national security]. That is why the European unity is so important, and that we react to what happens.”