Pål Jonson

The European Commission has decided to provide financial support to industrial projects aimed at increasing ammunition production capacity. The Swedish Government has decided to co-finance one of the projects, provided that the Commission granted support. This project, run by the Nammo Sweden AB company, could eventually triple the capacity for filling artillery shells in the coming years.

Sweden intends to provide EUR 30 million in support for a Czech ammunition initiative for artillery shells to Ukraine. The Government has authorised the Defence Materiel Administration to negotiate and enter into an agreement with the responsible authority in Czechia.

On Monday 11 March, Sweden’s flag was raised at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Together with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, a number of Ministers of the Swedish Government also took part. HRH Crown Princess Victoria, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Micael Bydén and the leaders of the Social Democrats, Sweden Democrats and Centre Party were in attendance as well.

On 5 March, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson received his German counterpart Boris Pistorius.

On 23 February, Sweden and Hungary entered into an agreement under which Hungary will purchase four new Gripen aircraft from Sweden. The agreement was signed when Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Minister for Defence Pål Jonson visited Budapest.

Today, two years have passed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Swedish Government considers support to Ukraine in the coming years to be its foremost foreign policy task. Sweden will continue to provide political, humanitarian, military and financial support to Ukraine for as long as it takes.

The Swedish Government has given the Swedish Armed Forces a framework mandate to carry out and take part in military training of Ukrainian citizens in 2024. Ukraine has greatly appreciated the training support Sweden has provided thus far. Ongoing training activities are now being extended, with the possibility to supplement previous training initiatives with additional activities.

Today, 20 February, the Government presented the 15th and largest military support package to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion began on 24 February 2022. Package 15 amounts to SEK 7.1 billion in current prices. It comprises a maritime initiative that includes Combat Boat 90s, small and fast motorboats (G-boats) and underwater weapons. The package also includes artillery ammunition, an anti-aircraft system, light anti-tank weapons, recoilless rifles, hand grenades, medical equipment, medical transport vehicles, food, and financial support to bilateral and multilateral projects or funds. It also involves financial support to enable Ukraine to purchase more Combat Vehicle 90s.

Check against delivery.

On 18 December, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson travelled to Copenhagen for talks with Danish Minister of Defence Troels Lund Poulsen. Matters discussed during the visit included support to Ukraine, current NATO issues and the upcoming Danish Chairmanship of the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) in 2024.

Represented by Swedish Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, Sweden and the US have signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA). This means that the countries have agreed on the conditions for US forces to operate in Sweden. The DCA regulates issues such as the legal status of US forces, access to deployment areas and pre-positioning of military materiel in Sweden.

From 1 to 8 December, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson is visiting the United States to take part in the Reagan National Defense Forum, promote Swedish defence innovations and industry, and strengthen bilateral cooperation with the US.

Damage to cables and pipelines in the Baltic Sea has been discovered recently on multiple occasions. The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) will increase its presence to help improve protection of critical underwater infrastructure in the region. Sweden will provide two corvettes.

Today, the Defence Ministers of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) agreed to activate a JEF Response Option. This includes maritime and air capabilities which will deploy across the JEF’s core region as a military contribution to the protection of critical undersea infrastructure.

On November 23, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson invites the media to a press conference, following the meeting with defence ministers from the Nordic and Baltic countries at Karlberg Palace.

Updated version 23/10 16:30: It has been confirmed that an undersea telecommunications cable between Sweden and Estonia has been damaged by means of external force or tampering. Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin held a press conference on Tuesday 17 October to provide an overview of the situation and describe what government agencies are doing in response. Chief of the Swedish Navy Ewa Skoog Haslum and Director General of the Swedish Coast Guard Lena Lindgren Schelin also took part in the press conference.

Yesterday evening, the Government received the alarming news that two Swedes were killed in a terrorist attack in Brussels. The attack appears to have been aimed at Sweden and Swedish interests. Our thoughts are with the deceased and their relatives.

The Government today adopted a proposal for an additional amending budget containing a new support package to Ukraine. The package, which is the fourteenth of its kind, includes artillery shells, spare parts, infantry equipment, communication equipment and Combat Vehicle 90 ammunition, worth around SEK 1.7 billion. The main part of the package regards ammunition and spare parts. In addition, the Government plans to adopt additional measures to supplement the direct materiel support, meaning that this support package will be worth a total of around SEK 2.2 billion. The Government also presented an assignment to the Swedish Armed Forces to analyse and report on the conditions for strengthening Ukraine through JAS 39 Gripen.

Sweden is currently facing the most serious security situation since the Second World War. This places new demands on military defence.

In the Budget Bill for 2024, the Government proposes additional funding to military defence amounting to approximately SEK 700 million. Taking into account upward adjustments and previous decisions, appropriations for military defence will increase by more than SEK 27 billion between 2023 and 2024 – an increase of 28 per cent. This means that appropriations have doubled since 2020 and that Sweden will already reach the defence expenditure target of two per cent of GDP according to NATO’s definition in 2024. In the Budget Bill, the Government also estimates additional funding for 2025 and 2026 amounting to approximately SEK 1.2 billion and SEK 7.4 billion, respectively.