Ministry of Defence

On 15–16 November, Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist took part in the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC). The Ministers discussed EU training missions and met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a ministerial lunch. In a joint meeting with the Ministers for Foreign Affairs on 15 November the first draft of the EU Strategic Compass was discussed.

On 9 November, Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist took part in the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) ministerial meeting. The meeting in Kirkkonummi, Finland was hosted by Finland’s Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen in conjunction with the Finnish NORDEFCO chairmanship in 2021.

On 8 November, Swedish Minister for Defence met virtually with Australian Minister for Defence Peter Dutton to discuss the security situation in the countries’ neighbourhoods and bilateral defence cooperation between Sweden and Australia.

On 21–22 October, Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist took part in the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence in Brussels. Mr Hultqvist was invited to a special session on cooperation between NATO and the European Union.

On 25–27 October, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the NAC – NATO’s principal political decision-making body – will visit Sweden and Finland which are partners to NATO.

On 20 October, Sweden’s Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist will participate in a meeting with his colleagues from the other Northern Group countries. The Northern Group is a security and defence policy forum with a focus on northern Europe.

On 8 October, Sweden’s Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist welcomed his Lithuanian counterpart, Arvydas Anušauskas, for a bilateral meeting in Stockholm. The security situation in the Baltic Sea region and further cooperation between Sweden and Lithuania were among the items on the agenda.

Letter of Intent between The Minister for The Armed Forces of The French Republic and The Minister for Defence of the Kingdom of Sweden concerning The Bilateral Defence Cooperation.

The long-standing defence cooperation between Sweden and Finland was one of the themes of a defence industry seminar held at the Embassy of Finland in Stockholm. Sweden’s Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist delivered a keynote speech.

Swedish Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist today visited Joint Protector 21 in Älvdalen. Sweden is hosting the exercise held within the framework of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) defence cooperation.

Common security challenges and how the cooperation within the European Intervention Initiative (EI2) can be developed even further were some of the agenda items when EI2’s thirteen member countries met in Stockholm. Sweden and Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist hosted this year’s annual meeting.

24 September 2021, Stockholm, Sweden

We live in uncertain times. The geopolitical challenges today are more acute and complex than in recent decades. Russia just concluded the military exercise Zapad, displaying its military capabilities with a substantial volume of forces, while highlighting in its National Security Strategy presented last July that “Russia is preparing for a long-term conflict with the West”.

Statement of Intent on Enhanced Operational Cooperation among the Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of Denmark and the Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of Norway and the Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of Sweden (hereafter referred to as "the Participants").

A serious security crisis in the Nordic region would affect us all, and we need to be prepared and equipped to act together in peace, crisis and conflict. Coordination of national operational planning will improve our ability to act together if so decided.

Swedish Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist and French Minister of Defence Florence Parly and ministers or delegations leaders from Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom and Italy will hold a press briefing at Karlberg Castle, Stockholm, on Friday 24 September at 15.00.

The security policy situation in Europe and bilateral cooperation in the defence materiel area were some of the agenda items when Austrian Minister of Defence Klaudia Tanner visited Sweden on 20 September. Swedish Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist received Ms Tanner at Karlberg Palace.

On 18–19 September, the annual NATO Days and the Czech Air Force Days will be held in Ostrava. For the second time, Sweden will assume the role of Special Partner Nation at NATO Days. Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist will deliver the opening address at the event and also hold bilateral meetings with the defence ministers from the Czech Republic and, Slovakia.

Today Peter Hultqvist, Minister for Defence of Sweden, and Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, signed a Joint Declaration on defence cooperation.