Sverige står upp för Ukraina = Sweden stands up for Ukraine

Björn made an appearance on the balcony of Stadsteatern in Sergels Torg in Stockholm to an assembled crowd on the fourth anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine.

1. Announcement
   Björn announced on his social media that he would shortly be making a speech about the fourth anniversary of the war in Ukraine.  He said, “Hi, I'm just about to go on stage to speak at the Fourth Manifestation against the war in Ukraine in Stockholm. And what I'm going to say is that we, in Europe, are on our own and we need to step up re-armament in order to stand against Putin's Russia in the future and that's what my speech will be about - very important.”
    
2. Björn's Facebook
   Björn's Facebook account published a short version of Björn's speech with sub-titles. It said, “Four years and still the incredible Ukraine is here, still standing.  They fight - and as everyone here todays knows, they not only defend their own country but also our values, our safety and the liberal democracy which defines Europe and which we do not want to lose at any cost. If Ukraine doesn't stop Russia now, Europe will be forced to do so at a later time at a much higher cost. This is the bottom line: in which kind of Europe we want to live, which society we will defend when we support Ukraine, we not only support a country, we support the idea of the value of human beings of the rule of law and of freedom."
    
3. Unknown 1
4. Unknown 2
   Two private videos were published online showing Björn from different angles. Thanks to those two.
    

Björn wrote a piece for newspaper Dagens Industri:

"When we support Ukraine, we are not just supporting a country. We are supporting the idea of ​​human value. About democracy. About the rule of law. About freedom. It is an investment in our own future. It is about what kind of Europe we want to live in. We must never become passive spectators to the greatest crime of our time.

We turn on the lights and it goes without saying that the electricity works. We can go home safely without the risk that bombs could fall on us at any moment. We know who cannot. Our thoughts go out to them. 

Four years – and yet Ukraine is still here. It says so. They are fighting. And we who are here today know that they are not only defending their country, but also our values, our security and the liberal democracy that defines Europe and that we do not want to lose at any cost.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has been clear: Europe does not currently have the military capacity required to single-handedly deter Russia from attacking the EU. It is a brutal but necessary message. We would like to believe that Europe is strong. And economically we are. Politically we should be. But militarily we are not there yet.

At the same time, we know that rearmament takes time. Building defence capabilities takes years, sometimes decades. So what do we do in the meantime? How do we buy ourselves the time it takes for Europe to become strong enough to stand on its own two feet? The answer is actually simple: We are giving Ukraine 100 percent support now. Not 60 percent. Not “as much as is politically convenient” or “just enough so as not to disrupt our budgets”. But one hundred percent.

It is the most effective, the fastest and the most economical way to both weaken Russia’s military capabilities and strengthen Europe’s security. Every Russian tank stopped in Ukraine is a tank that will never threaten Warsaw, Helsinki or Berlin. Every day that Ukraine holds the line is a day that gives Europe more time to rearm. Not giving full support is short-sighted. It is stupid. And it is dangerous. 

In these four years, Ukraine has built up a military capability that is unparalleled in Europe today. They have developed modern warfare, drone technology, cyber defence, logistics and experience in fighting in extreme conditions. We not only have an obligation to help them – we also have everything to learn from them. They are not just recipients of support. They are Europe's main line of defence and its most experienced military power.
We must dare to see the world as it actually is. We must assume that the world order that the United States has stood as guarantor of since the end of World War II, Pax Americana, may no longer exist. Even if a future government in Washington were to be more pro-European than the current one, the uncertainty is there. Europe must fend for itself. We are alone in the world. 

Putin lives in a historical fantasy world. A world where the mighty "Mother Russia", the great power, the empire, is to be re-established. Where borders are erased by force. Where the will and self-determination of the people mean absolutely nothing. And so we must try to understand what is at stake in his mind. Because there is one thing that Vladimir Putin hopes for more than anything else.

He does not hope for his generals. He knows that they are corrupt. He does not hope for his economy. He knows how fragile it is. His only real hope – is that we get tired. His entire strategy is based on us getting tired of the news. That we will scroll past the pictures from the front because we can't bear to see. That we will think it's too "expensive", too "hard" because it's "too much".

He is betting everything on us being comfortable and lacking endurance. He believes that time is on his side. He believes that democracies are weak because we change leaders, while dictators remain. But let us promise each other today to prove him wrong. The fact that we are standing here after four years is proof that we have not forgotten. We must never become passive spectators to the greatest crime of our own time.

Unfortunately, there is no reason to believe that Russia would change with a new Russian leader. Russia's history gives us no reason for optimism. Imperialism is deep-seated. Oppression is deep-seated. If Ukraine does not stop Russia now, Europe will be forced to do so later. At a much higher price. That is what this is ultimately about: It is about the Europe we want to live in. It is about the society we defend.

When we support Ukraine, we are not just supporting a country. We are supporting the idea of ​​human value. About democracy. About the rule of law. About freedom. And we are helping ourselves. Supporting Ukraine 100 percent is not charity. It is self-defence. It is security policy. It is an investment in our own future. So let us be clear: Half-hearted support prolongs the war. Whole-hearted support can end it.

Europe must stop thinking in terms of “how much can we afford to give” and start thinking in terms of “what does it take for Ukraine to win”. Because when Ukraine wins, Europe wins. Then freedom wins. Then democracy wins. And that victory is worth everything."

Björn Ulvaeus 
 

Thanks to Monique Hoevens, Lee Gale and Eva Ström.