Ministry of Defence

In March and April, the Government approved additional military support to Ukraine besides the support previously approved by the Riksdag and the Government.

Denmark’s Minister of Defence Morten Bødskov, Norway’s Minister of Defence Bjørn Arild Gram and Jan-Olof Lind, State Secretary to Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist, met on Tuesday 24 May on Bornholm, Denmark. The meeting took place in connection with the annual US-led DEFENDER-Europe exercise.

The Nordic defence ministers or their representatives met on 24 May 2022 on the island of Bornholm, Denmark, and gave the following statement. At the meeting, Sweden was represented by Jan-Olof Lind, State Secretary to Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist.

On 18 May, Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist met with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin in Washington DC to discuss Sweden’s application for NATO membership and the security environment in Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

On 17 May, EU defence ministers met in Brussels to discuss how to implement the EU’s Strategic Compass. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine was also on the agenda. State Secretary Jan-Olof Lind represented Sweden at the meeting.

The Government has adopted a bill proposing legislative amendments to quickly streamline Sweden’s ability to receive military support. The aim is to enable quicker decisions on receiving operational military support in the form of military forces from states that are members of the EU or NATO.

On Monday 16 May, Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist will travel to Washington DC to meet US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, at the invitation of the Pentagon. The meeting will focus on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and Sweden’s forthcoming application for NATO membership.

On 16 March 2022, the Government decided to set up a working group to deliberate on the changed security environment following Russia’s aggression1 against Ukraine. Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde led the deliberations. Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist also took part.

On 16 March this year, the Government initiated discussion with the parties of the Riksdag concerning the changed security situation following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The result of these discussions will be presented at a press briefing on Friday 13 May.

On 11–12 May, Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist took part in a meeting in northern Norway with his counterparts from the other Nordic countries. The defence ministers visited the Norwegian-Russian border and discussed strengthened Nordic cooperation.

The Nordic defence ministers met on 11 May 2022 in Kirkenes, Norway and gave the following statement.

On 11–12 May, Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist will travel to Kirkenes in Norway for a meeting on the regional security situation, held within the framework of the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO).

On 12–13 April, Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist visited Latvia’s Minister of Defence Artis Pabriks and the Adazi military base. The focus of the visit was Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the importance of Swedish-Latvian defence cooperation.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has fundamentally changed the European security situation. This was the main focus when Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist attended a meeting at the Lithuanian Embassy in Stockholm on 8 April with ambassadors from the Baltic and Nordic countries.

On 25 March, Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist and the other Nordic defence ministers observed the Cold Response 2022 exercise in Norway. Conducted primarily in northern Norway, the exercise involves approximately 30 000 participants from 27 countries, including approximately 1 500 Swedish enlisted personnel and officers.

Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist visited the Gotland Regiment (P 18) on 23 March, together with Estonia’s Minister of Defence Kalle Laanet. They held bilateral talks about the security situation in the Baltic Sea region and regional defence cooperation.

On 21 March, Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist attended a meeting of EU defence ministers devoted to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. In a joint session with the foreign affairs ministers, the EU Strategic Compass was approved.

The war in Ukraine prompted the NATO defence ministers to gather in Brussels on 16 March for an extraordinary meeting. A representative for the European External Action Service and the defence ministers from NATO partner countries Ukraine, Georgia, Finland and Sweden also took part in the meeting.

Finland’s Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen and Sweden’s Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist met today 14 March 2022 in Helsinki and took part in a scenario-based exercise. The Ministers made the following joint statement:

Sweden’s military defence funding is to increase to two per cent of GDP. This was conveyed by Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson at a press briefing with Minister for Finance Mikael Damberg and Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist.