Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) has identified three areas where Sweden can contribute to the security guarantees that have been promised to Ukraine: air surveillance with JAS Gripen, mine clearance in the Black Sea and training efforts on the ground.
For over a year, Ewa Skoog Haslum and her colleagues from over 30 countries have been planning for this. Now they have come as far as they can without having a finished peace agreement on the table. Only then can detailed rules for the operation be drawn up.
Much is therefore unclear, but for Ewa Skoog Haslum there is no doubt that, for example, JAS Gripen must be able to respond to Russian fire if Russia does not adhere to the agreement.
"If something happens, we always have the right to defend ourselves," she says.
Heightened readiness
She points to an incident in Poland last fall where Swedish aircraft were involved in protecting a logistics hub. A week after the Swedes left, there was a Russian attack using missiles and drones. Then Dutch aircraft were deployed instead.
Can Sweden do without Gripen for air surveillance in Ukraine?
"I don't think there is any country in Europe, or the US or Canada for that matter, that says you can do without a lot. But peace in Ukraine is so vital for world peace that there is no choice," says Skoog Haslum.
Another constrained area is personnel. Sweden already contributes 600 soldiers every six months to a NATO operation in Latvia. It is unclear how many may be needed to monitor peace in Ukraine - and for how long.
From time to time, therefore, discussions arise about changing the rules for how fully trained conscripts can be used. Today, they can be deployed in a war after completing basic training and can only be used when there is a high level of readiness and the defense is mobilized.
Want freedom of action
The issue is politically sensitive and Ewa Skoog Haslum is clear that changing rules must be a political decision.
But on a general level, without connection to individual operations, defense is open to change.
"ÖB wants as much freedom of action as he can with his personnel and equipment. And so do I, as head of operations management," she says.
"Sweden is part of NATO now and has a number of tasks to solve, and both available personnel and equipment are needed."
