Peter Hultqvist

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s 2021 Spring Session, hosted by the Swedish Riksdag, opened today with introductory remarks from Sweden’s Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist. He emphasised the importance of transatlantic relations to the security of Europe, and how Russia is challenging the European security order.

On 13 May, Sweden’s Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist participated in a panel discussion on the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) and European security. The Minister highlighted the importance of bilateral and multilateral cooperation to building security and stability in Europe, and underlined the role of JEF in this.

A first meeting has taken place in a digital format between Sweden’s Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist and his Estonian counterpart, the new Minister of Defence Kalle Laanet. Among the items on the agenda were the security situation in the neighbourhood and development of the bilateral defence cooperation between Sweden and Estonia.

On 7 April, the Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist, together with defence ministers from several other participating countries, took part in an international digital meeting on Task Force Takuba, a multinational special forces task force to which Sweden is contributing a 150-strong unit.

An increase of the annual defence budget by 85 percent from 2015 to 2025. A new and larger war-time organisation, six new training establishments and new procurements. The Swedish Minister for Defence, Peter Hultqvist, presented the largest investment in Sweden’s defence capabilities in 70 years to international media on April 7.

Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist took part in the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence on 17 February held via videoconference. Mr Hultqvist and Finland’s Minister for Defence Antti Kaikkonen were among those specially invited to attend one of the sessions.

On 17 February, Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist took part in a video conference with Ukrainian Minister of Defence Andrii Taran. Items on the agenda included bilateral cooperation and the state of the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Check against delivery

A bilateral meeting via video link was held on 16 November between Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist and Portugal’s Minister of National Defence João Gomes Cravinho. The agenda included regional security, the Sahel and bilateral cooperation.