Summary of a publication in "Dagens Nyheter", the largest Swedish morning daily.
In cooperation with Razumkov Centre, Swedish scientists came to Kyiv to present a survey comparing Swedes and Ukrainians. Their poll covered more than 1,500 Ukrainians and over 5,000 Swedes, who were interviewed about their attitude to war, their neighbours and various social institutes.
In an underground bunker in the heart of Kyiv, Ukrainian and Swedish scholars met to take part in a process fascinating for researchers: fresh, unpublished data.
War does not stop research. “We make this presentation in a shelter so that we don’t have to run around when the air raid alarm is activated,” explains Lena Wilderäng, a research assistant at MarieCederschiöld högskola in Stockholm. She has a background as an IT manager and firefighter. In recent years, she volunteered in Ukraine to deliver ambulances and drones during dozens of trips to this war-torn country. She is currently in Kyiv with professor Magnus Karlsson, Head of the Civil Society and Religion Department at Marie Cederschiöld University.
“I said, you won’t learn Ukraine from Stockholm. You have to go here,” says Lena Wilderäng. The Karlsson–Wilderäng duo has made four trips to Ukraine. In collaboration with Kyiv-based Razumkov Centre, they presented a survey, in which the same questions were asked in Sweden and Ukraine.
A bit more than 1,500 Ukrainians and over 5,000 Swedes were polled about their attitudes to war, their neighbours and various social institutes. The difference is clear: Swedes more tend to trust their orbit. 73% of the polled Swedes believe that people in general can be trusted. In Ukraine, only 32% think so. But most Swedes seem resolved to personally defend their country. 60% of Swedes say they are ready to defend Sweden, despite the danger to their lives. In Ukraine, three out of ten say they would risk their lives to defend their country. When Swedes are asked whether they would consider joining the defence of their country without risking their lives, the percentage of those who are ready to defend it rises to 94%. In Ukraine, 65% gave an affirmative answer to the same question. Sweden is an old democracy that has avoided war at home for centuries, while Ukraine is in the midst of a bloody defensive war in which hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and wounded.
— One sometimes may hear that many Swedes would flee, if attacked. What do you think? — That [opinion] does not follow from the research, Magnus Karlsson replies. It's just an idea of suffering. I want to look in the eyes of those people and say: “Show me surveys that somehow confirm this.” There are none.
— What do you think explains the strong Swedish will to defend itself? — My best explanation is our very liberal and democratic values. We want to defend not the Royal Palace, but values such as freedom of speech, equality and democracy.
The Swedish scholar sums up: “Swedes would act very much like Ukrainians if Sweden were attacked. We see from the Ukrainian data that the will to defend has been growing rapidly since the war began. I see no reason to suggest that it will be otherwise in Sweden."
https://razumkov.org.ua/en/articles/six-out-of-ten-swedes-are-ready-to-risk-their-lives-to-defend-the-country#sigProId32a3371763
